Sergio Lobera, historical in India

“I come here to win,” Sergio Lobera acknowledged in an interview with AS newspaper last January. No sooner said than done. The Zaragoza native, who trained as a coach at the FC Barcelona youth academy, led Mumbai City to conquer the first Indian Super League (ISL) in its history. The 'islanders' also conquered the Shield League – a trophy that is awarded to the champion of the regular phase – which gave them a double that only one club, Bengaluru, had previously savored. “It is impossible to describe in words what I feel. There are many emotions. I am very proud of my team. We are a family and that is reflected in the field. I am very happy with this season and we deserve to enjoy this moment, “said Lobera after beating ATK Mohun Bagan in the final.

“It was a great challenge from start to finish. We live in a bubble and we had a very short preseason. There was also very little time between each game. It was a great effort on everyone's part and we have achieved our goal,” added Lobera, that had Hernan Santana as a great bastion in defense and with Tato Rodríguez (assistant), Manuel Sayabera (physical trainer) and Juanma Cruz (goalkeeper trainer) as part of his 'staff'. Winning the Shield League made Mumbai City the top seed for the 2022 AFC Champions League group stage. The Islanders will become the second Hindu club in the top continental competition, an opportunity to showcase the City Football Group brand. all over Asia.

And, like Manchester City, Melbourne City or New York City, Mumbai City also competes under the signature of the City Football Group, a company that manages the football investments of the Abu Dhabi United Group, a private equity company based in the United Arab Emirates. “The entry of the CFG has changed many things and one of them is the style and philosophy of the game. They were looking for a coach who was in line with their idea and I, who spent eight years at FC Barcelona, ​​fit the profile. He is a It is a pleasure to collaborate with them because, as a coach, you have everything you need to develop your work, “acknowledged Lobera, who has made the investment in India profitable with instant results in the form of titles.

Barça DNA triumphs in India

Until the appearance of Sergio Lobera's Mumbai City, only one club had been proclaimed champion of the Shield League -regular phase- and the Superliga -'play-offs'- the same season. It was Bengaluru in 2019, when his bench was also occupied by a Spaniard with a past at FC Barcelona, Carles Quadrat. “The Spanish coach assures you maximum professionalism and modern football. We have an excellent training and, compared to other countries, we have seen a lot of football with very flexible and adaptable tactical solutions to different situations,” acknowledged Cuadrat shortly after winning the championship. At the time, however, India had no place in the Asian Champions League, so the blues had to settle for the AFC Cup.