XtraTime Web Desk – ATK Mohun Bagan had a flying start in this year’s Indian Super League as Antonio Lopez Habas’ team beat Kerala Blasters 1-0 in the inaugural match of the ISL season. Next up, they will face a strong challenge from a known team and a long time rival, SC East Bengal.
SC East Bengal is yet to play a match in ISL as the derby on 27th of November will be their first game. ATK Mohun Bagan on the other hand has already played a game. However, their coach Antonio Lopez Habas denied that its an advantage for either team. He said, “For me, there’s no advantage. The competition is like this. Maybe, it’s good that we have played our first match, maybe it’s better for East Bengal”.
Bengalis are already buzzing about the Kolkata Derby as their excitement can already be seen on social media. Habas however kept his team calm as the coach said, “We are playing with them on the date of the match, not one week before. I want my players to compete during the match, not before or after the match”.
Habas was then asked in the Pre-match conference about ATK Mohun Bagan’s lacklustre performance by the midfielders. The coach handled the question by saying, “It’s logical as they played after 7 long months. We need time and I’m looking forward for the rest of the tournament. I’m very happy with the performance from the Central Midfielder. He had a very difficult mission”.
Habas didn’t give a clear answer when he was asked about the possibility of starting both Roy Krishna and David Williams against SC East Bengal. He said, “I don’t know. I’ll have to talk to the players before the match, in the meeting. They already know the first 11 that’s going to play tomorrow. I have a vast plan and I’ll speak to the players”.
ATK Mohun Bagan strikers missed a lot of opportunities against Kerala Blasters as they were missing their golden touch. Habas however wants to focus on team game and doesn’t want his strikers to be under a burden. “The chances or no chances depends on all teams. The performance depends on whole team not just strikers. The team created more chances because the team game is correct not only because of the ability of the strikers”.
SC East Bengal will be debuting in the ISL on Friday but Habas doesn’t think there’s any pressure. He said, ,“Football is a game of 90 mins. We have ideas, model of play and after that I don’t know what is there. I don’t know what will be the score. I don’t think there’s any pressure on one side or the other side. I think the pressure in Football during the 90 minutes is out”.
Speaking about SC East Bengal’s team, Habas said, “Yeah, we respect the players of East Bengal. We have good players also. Not only they’ll concentrate in Football or model of play or good players or bad players, they’ll will be building a team. This is a difference between a big team and no big team”.
The coach of ATK Mohun Bagan also gave an update on Micheal Soosairaj who was injured badly against Kerala Blasters. “For us, it’s a disaster because Soosairaj is a good player and a good person. We have an idea that Soosairaj this season can’t play this season, in my opinion. The injury is a big injury and we have to wait. Football will continue and Soosairaj will have to recover”.
Kolkata Derby is one of the biggest Derby’s in the whole world. FIFA values it as one and Habas knows what a win will mean to all the Mariners. “I think Derby is a special match. It’s an important match for me because I know the intensity in Kolkata, what is the opinion of the supporters! We have to respect and to try and enjoy for the supporters in Kolkata during the match”.
Many of ATK Mohun Bagan players know what the Kolkata Derby is all about. Players like Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose, Pranay Halder and so many others have already played the Kolkata Derby but Habas denies that his team will have an added advantage because of that. “That can be important, definitely. However, it’s 11 vs 11. That is more important in football not players are from Kolkata or no Kolkata. They can understand what it means to the mass”.
Habas also gave a small message for all the Mariners saying, “We know what’s their responsibility is. We have to work for winning the match, to get 3 points. That is more important to us. With that, the supporters will be happy.”
Speaking about whether this is going to be the biggest match of his career, Habas said, “It’s important. You never know what’s the most important match in our career. I used to coach in Bolivia to three American cups. All matches are different and now I’ve massive amount of interest and idea to win”.