Carlos Hernandez to play Debanjan Sen Memorial Cup match!

Costa Rica international midfielder Carlos Hernández Valverde is set to be in Kolkata this week for talks with I-League side Prayag United SC to possibly sign and play for them. While in Kolkata Hernández is set to play for the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) XI in a charity match, the Debanjan Sen Memorial Cup, against a football team of the Calcutta Cricket & Football Club (CCFC) at the latters home in Ballygunge, Kolkata on Thursday, June 28 evening.

Besides Hernández, former Costa Rica international Steven Bryce Valerio will also be in Kolkata with him and will also play for the FPAI XI in the match.

The FPAI will once more organise the memorial match in the name of their former employee the late Debanjan Sen, who died in an motorbike accident last year. Debanjan, who was very much liked in football circles, was only 22 years old.

The FPAI XI will also see some of India's best football talent especially those who were close to Debanjan Sen and they include Mehtab Hossain (FPAI Player of the Year 2011), Syed Rahim Nabi (FPAI Player of the Year 2012), Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, Deepak Kumar Mondal, Subrata Pal, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Anit Kumar Ghosh, Arindam Bhattacharya (who will play as a centre forward), Dipendu Biswas and many more.

FPAI president Baichung Bhutia is highly sought after by both teamsand it looks likely that he will be strengthening the CC&FC defence rather than playing for his own FPAI team.

Last year the match was held and had ended in a 0-0 draw. The match will kick-off at 7 pm on Thursday, June 28.