Lobera is no stranger to Indian football, having spent four seasons in the ISL. He joined FC Goa in 2017 and guided them to the ISL playoffs on all three occasions during his time with the Gaurs. He also won the Super Cup in 2019 and a season later, helped the club clinch the League Shield.
Diamantakos, who joined Kerala Blasters FC in 2022, had a memorable campaign in the ISL 2022-23 season. He ended the season as the club's top scorer, scoring 12 goals while chipping in with three assists.
After a somewhat sluggish start to his second spell with the club, the Brazilian forward came to the fore at the crunch end of the season and guided Odisha FC to their first-ever Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs appearance.
The Islanders lost to a set-piece goal from Sunil Chhetri in the second half, when the Bengaluru FC forward headed home from a corner to hand the Blues a victory. The two sides meet again in Bengaluru on Sunday for a place in the final of the ISL.
With this win, Grayson and his Bengaluru FC side continue their red-hot form in 2023 as they extend their winning streak to 10 games. Whereas, League Shield winners Mumbai City FC are yet to win a match after their 5-2 win over FC Goa, where they secured the shield. Sunil Chhetri scored the
Sunil Chhetri came on as a substitute and found the back of the net in the 78th minute to give the Blues a vital advantage ahead of the second leg in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Bengaluru FC defeated Kerala Blasters 1-0 in extra time in the first knockout fixture to make it into the semi-finals. Interestingly, it was the Blues who inflicted the first defeat of the season on Mumbai City FC subsequent to their Shield triumph after going 18 games unbeaten.
The fixture promises to be a spectacle, with two of the most in-form teams of the league going head to head. Mumbai City FC clinched the League Winners' Shield, while Bengaluru FC are only unbeaten team in 2023 and are on a record nine-match winning streak.
The momentum is certainly with the Blues as they head into the semi-final on the back of a nine-game winning streak, but face a tough challenge against the League Shield Winners in their upcoming tie.
Goals from Hugo Boumous and Dimitri Petratos in each half helped ATK Mohun Bagan secure a solid win and set up a semi-final clash with Hyderabad FC. The Mariners have now made it to the ISL semi-finals for a third season running.
Odisha FC, on the other hand, finished sixth in the ISL table, four points behind the Mariners, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in their history.
This is the Mariners' third season in the ISL, and they have qualified for the playoffs each time. For the Juggernauts, this is new territory and they will also need a first-ever win against ATKMB to secure a semi-final spot