Football: Spanish coach Sergio Lobera returns to ISL with Odisha FC, to face Jamshedpur in first match
Sergio Lobera is is back in the Indian Super League (ISL), as the Spaniard now heads to his third team — Odisha FC in the top-tier after previous stints with FC Goa and Mumbai City FC. Lobera, a proven stalwart, and that is reflected in his illustrious cabinet containing the ISL League Winners Shield, the ISL Trophy, and also the Super Cup. However, it is the free-flowing, entertaining style of football bringing spectators to the edge of their seats that he brought in India that has made him a favourite amongst fans.
After leading Mumbai City FC to the iconic league double in 2020-21, Lobera departed from India to manage Chinese outfit Sichuan Jiuniu F.C. However, the 46-year-old returned to take over the reins of Odisha FC and he says that the love and warmth he receives from the fans in India played a massive role in his comeback to the ISL.
“I think you come back to the place where you feel happy. If you didn’t work well, didn’t like the environment, the organisation, or the ISL competition, you wouldn’t want to come back, would you? The reason to come back here is that when I worked before here, I was happy. It means a lot. Foreign players have options from other countries, maybe with more money, but I especially wanted to come back here because I was happy. It is a very good place to work in,” Lobera said in an interaction with the league.
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In addition to the footballing culture, Lobera is touched with the love showered on him by the people in India. His family is staying with him in Bhubaneswar and Lobera believes that there is a lot to learn from Indians in all walks of life.
“My daughter is five years old and she has lived more in India than in Spain. We love this country, we love these people. They
