Chennaiyin FC replaces injured goalie Abhijit with Francesco

Mumbai, Nov 8: Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC have replaced injured goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal with Italian Francesco Franzese, an ISL statement said.

Abhijit had sustained a knee injury during training and will not be available for the remainder of the inaugural ISL season.

Thirty-three-year-old Franzese, already part of Chennaiyin FC as goalkeeping coach, would now double up as a squad player. He will be one of three goalkeepers in the squad besides Frenchman Gennaro Bracigliano and Indian Shilton Paul.

Franzese is a product of the Perugia Youth Academy but made his senior debut in 2002 for Novaro Calcio in the fourth tier of Italian football. He has spent his entire career in the lower tiers of Italian league football including the Serie B for FC Hellas Verona. Last season, he played for Castel Rigone in Serie C2.