ATK Mohun Bagan will be up against Sri Lankan outfit Blue Star in the pre-qualifying match in the AFC Cup. The Mariners will play at the Salt Lake Stadium after a long time and especially with fans backing them from the stands after a couple of years.
Juan Ferrando was visibly disappointed after they failed to win the League winner’s shield with a defeat against Jamshedpur FC and then failed to get into the finals as they lost out against Hyderabad in the playoffs. So the AFC Cup in the only project at hand at the moment for Juan Ferrando as he is determined to perform well this season.
Ferrando is not ready to take things lightly against Sri Lanka’s Blue Star. He and his men are locked in on this game for some time and will be looking to put on a show in front of their fans. “There is no reason to underestimate Sri Lanka’s Blue Star. The passing of the team is very good. Sometimes the team plays pressing football. After playing slow football for a while, the team suddenly starts to attack. And that creates the chances of the goals. We have to be careful because the game is ninety minutes long,” Ferrando said ahead o the AFC Cup match.
“The fate of the match will be decided within that time. Blue Star did not play well in the last ten minutes. For this reason, many people think that the team is not too good. I refuse to accept that. After the two goals, they probably didn’t want to give extra effort thinking about the next match,” he added.
Last year Juan Ferrando guided FC Goa as the first Indian club to feature in the AFC Champions League. The Gaurs had a praiseworthy campaign with three draws as they finished third in the group. Therefore when asked whether he is looking to win the AFC Cup with the Mariners this season, he said, “I believe progress happens match by match. Now only ninety minutes of the Blue Star SC match are in my head. We have to get success at that time.”
The head coach added, “I hope the Mariners will come to watch our game, filling the gallery. The support of the Green Maroon members on the field will inspire us. I promise they will not have to return home disappointed. You can enjoy the joy of football by watching my team’s game.”
