The Malabarians won the Durand Cup, reached the semi-final of the Sheikh Jamal Cup in Bangladesh and was close to finishing in the top four in the I-League. However, the coach and the club parted ways again and the former joined Goan club Churchill Brothers for the 2020-21 campaign.
Churchill were strong favourites to win the title last season but finished runners-up below champions Gokulam Kerala. They went unbeaten during the regular season and lost only twice in the second phase but ultimately, dropped enough points to allow Varela s former club to pounce in the final few rounds.
Sreenidhi will be Varela s third club in India and with a fresh project at his disposal, he will hope to make a mark in the I-League next season.