ISL: From Brazil to Chennai, Lukas Brambilla has taken to life in India

For Lukas Brambilla, transitioning into the Indian Super League (ISL) wasn't an overnight process.

The 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder joined ISL club Chennaiyin FC this summer, with coach Owen Coyle bringing him his first taste of Indian football.

The harsh climatic conditions of India and the cultural differences from Brazil meant that it wasn't a bed of roses just yet for Brambilla but he seems to have settled into life.

After a few cameos off the bench, Bramilla is now a regular in the starting lineup of Chennaiyin FC, and has returned two goals and an assist for the Marina Machans in nine games, proving to be a key player in Owen's 'new army.'

"I think everybody knows that for me the beginning was a little bit difficult. It was different from other places I have played. The beginning was a little bit hard, but I like the championship, the club, the people here in India," said Brambilla, in an exclusive interview with The Bridge.

Took some time to adjust to Indian conditions

Brambilla has a lot of experience playing in various leagues around the world, and coming to India is his latest adventure, thanks to Owen Coyle's phone call in the summer.

"He (Owen Coyle) made the call to me and we had a nice conversation. I then looked up about the club and saw very good things about them. It was also a new experience for me so I decided to sign for the club," he said.

He also went into detail about how he had to adapt to conditions in India, as they were vastly different from Europe, where Brambilla was playing last.

"First and foremost, the football played in India is very different from that of Europe, and in the beginning, I faced a lot of problems, especially with food. And most importantly, it was very hot in Chennai so my body took some time to adjust to the conditions," he remarked.

A quick look at the Chennaiyin squad would reveal that Brambilla is the only creative outlet in the midfield and ever since he slotted into the starting XI, things have started to look up from a creative front for the Marina Machans.

With Connor Shields racking up assists and doing the dirty work in defense, winning duels and intercepting opponent passes along with Elsinho, it is Brambilla who inevitably links the defense and attack and creates scoring opportunities for his forwards, and pops up with goals as well.

Lofty ambitions

With Owen at the wheel, trophies are always going to be the goal, and for Chennaiyin, it is the same.

Despite reeling well outside the top six of the table in ISL 10, Owen's Chennai made it to the playoffs with a late surge, and with a busy summer window, they will be looking to bring home silverware.

"Yes we have had some good games and I am pretty sure we will do better in the coming days as well. We're working very hard to achieve the goals set for us," Brambilla asserted, in complete alignment with Owen's lofty ambitions with the team.

"We do have that target (winning trophies). That's why you say every game is the most important game for us," he added.

With Mohun Bagan on the horizon for Chennaiyin FC, there is no doubt that Lukas Brambilla will be looked to dictate the proceedings for Chennaiyin, and it is imperative for Owen's men that he does so, as his performance and the team's success have become directly proportional.