Maldives Veteran Aisam: Bangladesh Not Unfamiliar Territory, Team Aims for Strong Results

Veteran midfielder Ibrahim Aisam of the Maldives national football team has stated that the Maldivian players are not new to playing in Bangladesh and that they aim to achieve good results there. The national team has previously competed in the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh twice, including a final appearance in 2009 and a title victory in 2018 when Maldives defeated India. Aisam highlighted that those past successes are not a burden on the current squad. While acknowledging that the team has conducted a good training camp, Aisam noted that preparation time is still limited. However, with recent league matches, he believes the team is well prepared and energetic. 'The truth is, I am not fully satisfied. But getting [matches] is quite good. Otherwise, another way, if a team prepares for tournaments, but since the league is also going on now, it will become somewhat better. Then the team is very energetic,' Aisam said. He expressed hope for a good fight in this year's tournament, starting with the first match against Pakistan on the eighth of the month.