2019–20 Kerala Blasters FC season
# 2019–20 Kerala Blasters FC season

The 2019–20 season was the sixth season in Kerala Blasters FC's existence, as well as their sixth season in Indian Super League.

## Review and events

### Indian Super League

Kerala Blasters started their 2019–20 Hero Indian Super League campaign with 2 consecutive home matches. They managed to come back for a 2–1 victory over ATK in the inaugural match, but lost against Mumbai City in very next match by conceding a late goal.

They continued their winless run after the first match, by losing their first away match of the season against Hyderabad FC after took lead and a goal less draw against Odisha FC. In this match, most of the time they played with 6 local players and only 2 foreign players because of injuries. During the international break after the match, they signed Vlatko Drobarov as a replacement for injured Jairo Rodrigues.

Kerala Blasters managed to climb to 6th position on the table after winning by their highest margin till the date of 5–1 against Hyderabad FC. They also defeated their rivals Bengaluru FC and ATK. Their last match in the season was against Odisha FC which ended in 4-4. This was the highest scoring match in the history of ISL till that date. Finally, the Blasters ended their season by finishing in 7th place in the table.

## Players

### First-team squad

    As of 2 December 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | IND | Bilal Khan |
| 2 | DF | IND | Mohammad Rakip |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Jairo Rodrigues (Injured) |
| 5 | DF | IND | Raju Gaikwad |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Mario Arqués |
| 7 | MF | SEN | Moustapha Gning |
| 8 | MF | IND | Seityasen Singh |
| 10 | FW | NGA | Bartholomew Ogbeche (captain) |
| 11 | MF | IND | Prashanth K |
| 13 | GK | IND | Rehenesh TP |
| 14 | DF | IND | Jessel Carneiro |
| 15 | MF | IND | Darren Caldeira |
| 17 | MF | IND | Rahul KP |
| 18 | MF | IND | Sahal Abdul Samad |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | IND | Halicharan Narzary |
| 20 | FW | IND | Mohammad Rafi |
| 21 | DF | IND | Sandesh Jhingan (Injured) |
| 22 | MF | ESP | Sergio Cidoncha (vice-captain) |
| 23 | DF | IND | Pritam Singh |
| 24 | DF | IND | Abdul Hakku |
| 27 | MF | IND | Samuel Lalmuanpuia |
| 28 | FW | CMR | Raphaël Messi Bouli |
| 33 | DF | MKD | Vlatko Drobarov |
| 39 | DF | IND | Lalruatthara |
| 42 | GK | IND | Shibinraj Kunniyil |
| 51 | DF | NED | Gianni Zuiverloon (third-captain) |
| 55 | MF | IND | Jeakson Singh |

## Transfers

### Transfers in

| Entry date | Position | No. | Player | From club | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 May 2019 | MF | 40 | Zayed Bin Waleed | Free Agent | None |
| 29 May 2019 | MF | 6 | Mario Arqués | Jamshedpur FC | None |
| 1 June 2019 | FW | 10 | Bartholomew Ogbeche | NorthEast United | None |
| 1 June 2019 | MF | 17 | Rahul KP | Indian Arrows | None |
| 12 June 2019 | MF | 22 | Sergio Cidoncha | Jamshedpur FC | None |
| 1 July 2019 | DF | 51 | Gianni Zuiverloon | Delhi Dynamos | None |
| 3 July 2019 | GK | 42 | Shibinraj Kunniyil | Gokulam Kerala | Undisclosed |
| 10 July 2019 | GK | 1 | Bilal Khan | Real Kashmir | None |
| 17 July 2019 | MF | 7 | Moustapha Gning | SD Ejea | None |
| 24 July 2019 | GK | 13 | Rehenesh TP | NorthEast United | None |
| 31 July 2019 | MF | 30 | Arjun Jayaraj | Gokulam Kerala | Undisclosed |
| 7 August 2019 | MF | 15 | Darren Caldeira | Mohun Bagan A.C. | None |
| 14 August 2019 | DF | 14 | Jessel Carneiro | Dempo S.C. | None |
| 17 August 2019 | MF | 8 | Seityasen Singh | NorthEast United | None |
| 21 August 2019 | DF | 3 | Jairo Rodrigues | Persela Lamongan | None |
| 24 August 2019 | FW | 28 | Raphaël Messi Bouli | Foolad F.C. | None |
| 28 August 2019 | FW | 20 | Mohammad Rafi | Chennaiyin | None |
| 2 September 2019 | MF | 23 | Samuel Lalmuanpuia | Shillong Lajong | None |
| 18 October 2019 | DF | 4 | Raju Gaikwad | Jamshedpur | None |
| 22 November 2019 | DF | 9 | Vlatko Drobarov | Belasica | None |

### Loan return

| Position | No. | Player | From club |
| - | - | - | - |
| MF | 19 | Halicharan Narzary | Chennaiyin FC |
| MF | 55 | Jeakson Singh | Indian Arrows |
| FW | 13 | C. K. Vineeth | Chennaiyin FC |

### Transfers Out

| Exit date | Position | No. | Player | To club | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 March 2019 | DM | 7 | Cyril Kali | Panserraikos F.C. | Released |
| 1 March 2019 | DM | 6 | Nikola Krcmarevic | Kerala Blasters (B) | Released |
| 1 March 2019 | DF | 4 | Nemanja Lakić-Pešić | FK Voždovac | Released |
| 1 March 2019 | MF | 99 | Courage Pekuson | Kerala Blasters (B) | Released |
| 1 March 2019 | MF | 8 | Slaviša Stojanović | Kerala Blasters (B) | None |
| 1 March 2019 | MF | 17 | Kizito Keziron | KCCA FC | Released |
| 1 June 2019 | MF | 9 | Seiminlen Doungel | Goa | None |
| 9 June 2019 | GK | 1 | Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem | ATK | None |
| 1 July 2019 | DF | 15 | Anas Edathodika | ATK | None |
| 17 July 2019 | MF | 22 | Zakeer Mundampara | — | Released |
| 26 August 2019 | FW | 13 | C.K. Vineeth | Jamshedpur | Released |
| 2 September 2019 | MF | 45 | Deependra Negi | Hyderabad | Released |

### Loans out

| Start date | End date | Position | No. | Player | To club | Fee | Ref. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 25 August 2018 | End of season | FW | — | Shaiborlang Kharpan | Ozone FC | None | – |
| 25 June 2019 | End of season | MF | — | Nongdamba Naorem | Mohun Bagan | None | – |
| 31 July 2019 | End of season | FW | 10 | Matej Poplatnik | Kaposvári Rákóczi FC | None | |

## Pre-season and friendlies

Win  Draw  Loss  Cancelled

The Kerala Blasters traveled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their pre-season tour ahead of the new season. There, the club was set to play friendlies with top division UAE Pro League club.

The team traveled to UAE on September 4 and played one game vs Dibba Al-Fujairah. The event organisers Michi Sports did not provide the club with proper training and other facilities in the UAE, so the club decided to pull out of the tour.

The club was scheduled to face Ajman Club on 12 September, Emirates Club on 20 September and finally Al-Nasr on the 27th. But all the three games were cancelled. The club returned to India on 11 September and had a preseason at home training facility.

Kerala Blasters restarted their preseason on their home training facility turf at the Panampilly Nagar Ground. The club faced I-League 2nd Division club South United, I-League club Real Kashmir FC and they also faced the Kerala Santhosh Trophy team, the Kerala State Football Team. The Blasters even had a preseason game against their own reserve side, the Kerala Blasters (B). They Finished their preseason with a draw against Indian Arrows.

## Competitions

Win  Draw  Loss

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| ISL | 20 October 2019 (2019-10-20) | 23 February 2020 (2020-02-23) | Matchday 1 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 022.22 |
| Others | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | !— |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 022.22 |

Last updated: 16 March 2020 (2020-03-16). Source: Competitions

### Indian Super League

**Standings**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Mumbai City | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 29 | −4 | 26 |
| 6 | Odisha | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 28 | 31 | −3 | 25 |
| 7 | Kerala Blasters | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 19 |
| 8 | Jamshedpur | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 35 | −13 | 18 |
| 9 | NorthEast United | 18 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 30 | −14 | 14 |

* ^ Note 1: Originally, Mohun Bagan, the 2019–20 I-League champions (they were already assured of the title before the league was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India), would qualify as India 2 (2021 AFC Cup group stage), and ATK, the 2019–20 Indian Super League playoffs winners, would qualify as India 3 (2021 AFC Cup qualifying play-offs). However, ATK owners KGSPL ceased their football operation and bought majority stakes in Mohun Bagan FC (India) Private Limited and rebranded Mohun Bagan football team as ATK Mohun Bagan FC from the 2020–21 Indian Super League season which qualifed as India 2 in 2021 AFC club competition. The All India Football Federation decided that Bengaluru FC, the 2019–20 Indian Super League regular season 3rd place (behind FC Goa, which qualified for the 2021 AFC Champions League, and ATK), will qualify as India 3.

**Results summary**

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

Last updated: 16 March 2020. Source: Matchday

**League Results by round**

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | L | L | D | L | D | D | D | L | D | W | W | L | L | L | D | W | D |
| Position | 1 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 |

## Statistics

    As of 17 March 2020.

### Squad appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Super League | Super League | Others | Others |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | GK | IND | Bilal Khan | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | IND | TP Rehenesh | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | GK | IND | Shibin Raj Kunniyil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | DF | IND | Mohammad Rakip | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Jairo Rodrigues | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | IND | Jessel Carneiro | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | IND | Raju Gaikwad | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | IND | Pritam Singh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | IND | Abdul Hakku | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | MKD | Vlatko Drobarov | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | IND | Lalruatthara | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | DF | NED | Gianni Zuiverloon | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 6 | MF | ESP | Mario Arques | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | SEN | Moustapha Gning | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | IND | Seityasen Singh | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | IND | Prashanth K | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | IND | Darren Caldeira | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | IND | Rahul KP | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | IND | Sahal Abdul Samad | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | IND | Halicharan Narzary | 14 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ESP | Sergio Cidoncha | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | IND | Samuel Lalmuanpuia | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | IND | Jeakson Singh | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 10 | FW | NGA | Bartholomew Ogbeche | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | IND | Mohammad Rafi | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | CMR | Raphaël Messi Bouli | 17 | 8 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 |

### Squad statistics

| | League | Others | Total |
| - | - | - | - |
| Games Played | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Games Won | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Games Drawn | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Games Lost | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Goals Scored | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Goals conceded | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| Goal Difference | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| Clean Sheets | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Goals by Substitutes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow Cards | 41 | 0 | 41 |
| Red Cards | 1 | 0 | 1 |

Players Used: Kerala Blasters has used a total of 24 different players in all competitions.

### Goalscorers

| Rank | No. | Pos. | Nation | Name | League | Others | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 10 | FW | | Bartholomew Ogbeche | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | 28 | FW | | Raphaël Messi Bouli | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | 19 | MF | | Halicharan Narzary | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 17 | MF | | Rahul KP | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 8 | MF | | Seityasen Singh | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 22 | MF | | Sergio Cidoncha | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 33 | DF | | Vlatko Drobarov | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | 29 | 0 | 29 |

### Assists

Note: This list features only the top 5 players with most assists in the season

| Rank | Pos. | Name | League | Others | Total Appearance | Total Assists |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | DF | Jessel Carneiro | 5 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
| 2 | MF | Sergio Cidoncha | 3 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| 3 | DF | Gianni Zuiverloon | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 4 | MF | Halicharan Narzary | 2 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | Sahal Samad | 2 | 0 | 18 | 2 |

### Clean sheets

| No. | Nation | Name | League | Others | Total Clean Sheets | Games Played |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | | Bilal Khan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 13 | | Rehenesh TP | 2 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 |

### Disciplinary record

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Name | League | League | League | Others | Others | Others | Total | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | DF | | Jairo Rodrigues | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | | Moustapha Gning | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | | Mohammad Rakip | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | | Abdul Hakku | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | | Messi Bouli | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | | Sahal Samad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | | Vlatko Drobarov | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | | Sergio Cidoncha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | | Jeakson Singh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | DF | | Gianni Zuiverloon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | | Mario Arques | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | | Seityasen Singh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | | Raju Gaikwad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | | Bartholomew Ogbeche | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | | Jessel Carneiro | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | | K Prasanth | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | | Lalruatthara | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | | Rahul KP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | | Bilal Khan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | TOTAL | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 0 |
