Sourav Ganguly backs ATK to win ISL title

Kolkata, September 18: Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and co-owner of Indian Super League side ATK hopes the team will rise afresh after a forgettable last season.

The two-time champions looked completely out of sorts in the last season finishing a dismal ninth, its worst-ever performance since the inception of the league. This season ATK have made their intentions clear roping in Steve Coppell, who had guided Kerala Blasters to a runners-up finish in his first season, and took debutants Jamshedpur FC to a creditable fifth place in the previous edition.

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"To all, this is the new film of the season, hopefully it will bring us luck and we will have a good year. Our record at Hero ISL is phenomenal, yes it wasn't a great last year but we will surely turn it around this time," Ganguly said on the sidelines of a promotional shoot.

Season five of ISL will kick off with ATK taking on Kerala Blasters FC on September 29 at the Salt Lake Stadium.

FT: ATK 0-1 FUL

We go down fighting at the Pinatar Arena against Premier League club Fulham FC.

A solid defensive performance by us was undone in the 71st minute by 2014 World Cup winner Andre Schurrle. #AamarBukeyATK #BanglaBrigade #ATKvFUL pic.twitter.com/um9oLxdkB5

— ATK (@WorldATK) September 8, 2018

The two-time champions had a preparatory camp in Spain and even played Premier League side Fulham in a friendly.

The friendly did not go as planned as they were defeated 1-0 by the Premier League club at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, Spain on September 8.

German Andre Schurrle scored in the 72nd minute for Fulham after coming on as a substitute in the second.