Vicente Gomez: Kerala Blasters are a team with a clear vision

After having played more than 20 league games each season in the last 10 years, 32-year-old defensive midfielder Vicente Gomez finds himself in a completely new territory far away from Spain. 

For the first time in his professional career, Gomez is set to don the kit of a team outside his home country. He will be seen in a shade of yellow this season in the Indian Super League (ISL) for Kerala Blasters. 

"I have seen very little of India but hope to explore more soon. My first impression of the ISL and Kerala Blasters is very positive," Gomez, who is currently in quarantine in Goa, told Goal.

"I have heard a lot of encouraging facts. Kerala Blasters are a team with a clear vision, having a well thought-out plan to achieve their goals. Moreover, they are a serious and hardworking team with a strong intent of wanting to do very well this season, aiming to fight for the title.

"My agent mentioned that there is a possibility to play in India. My discussions with Karolis (Skynkys) on the visions of Kerala Blasters and with Kibu (Vicuna) about the team´s playing style gave me confidence that this was the best for me. I have always wanted to play in other countries and joining KBFC was the right opportunity for me," the Spaniard added. 

Gomez, who has played for Las Palmas and Deportino La Coruna in the top two tiers of Spanish football, feels the 2020-21 football season will be unique due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The ISL clubs have only a few weeks to train with their complete squads including foreign players due to the mandatory quarantine protocols. The season is set to kickstart on November 20 in Goa. 

"This will be the most unique season of my career. Although my previous season in the Laliga was played behind closed doors, there was still life on the streets. Not having fans to cheer and motivate you from the stands will definitely be a challenge, but my dream would be to be able to play and fight hard for the ISL title," Gomez said. 

The player will also be playing in a league with a different format for the first time in his career - ISL has a playoffs and a final and Indian clubs play at most 21 matches per football season. When queried on the shorter season in terms of number of games, Gomez was cautiously optimistic and kept his response short. 

He said, "I see this as an opportunity to maintain a high level of football across the season as there are only a few games."

The Huracan youth product started his professional career in 2007 and later moved to Las Palmas. He went on to represent Las Palmas for eight seasons in a row before joining Deportivo in 2018. He has three years of experience playing in La Liga, against the top clubs in Spain. 

All his experience will be needed at Blasters as the Yellow Army chase the playoffs for the fourth consecutive ISL season, this time in Goa.