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FC Goa have announced Spaniard Juan Ferrando as their head coach for the 2020-21 season of the Indian Super League (ISL). Ferrando, 39, will be replacing former India international Clifford Miranda, who had taken charge as interim coach from Sergio Lobera in February this year. Lobera's departure had come even as Goa led the table and looked within sight of sealing top place in the league table. Goa would go on to do so, and confirm their place in the AFC Champions League group stages for 2021 -- the first Indian club to have gone that far in the current format of Asia's top club competition. However, Goa were eliminated in the ISL semi-finals by Chennaiyin FC, who were beaten in the final, played in Margao, by ATK. Ferrando, born in Barcelona, comes to the ISL after having worked with Greek Super League 1 club Volos FC, which he took charge of in 2017, when they were in the Greek third division. He would go on to earn them promotion across the next two seasons, winning the Football League in 2018-19. He has also worked in the past as assistant with Malaga B and Moldovan club FC Sheriff Tiraspol, and was part of the support staff when the latter qualified for the Europa League group stages in 2013-14, finishing third behind Tottenham Hotspur and Anzhi Makhachkala. Lobera has since been linked with a move to Mumbai City FC, following the departure of Portuguese coach Jorge Costa. Mumbai made global headlines during the 2019-20 season when the City Football Group, the parent company that owns Manchester City, bought a majority stake in them last November.
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