Ahead Of The Game Against Maziya, Coach Albert Roca Spoke About The Opponent, The Skipper And More. Excerpts From The Pre-match Presser
Thoughts on the opposition…
Maziya are a good side and it is surely going to be a tough game to play. They have had a decent result in the competition already, had a good transfer window and have improved their squad with new players. I am looking forward to the game as I believe it’s going to be a good battle between both sides. We play every game with the intention to win and today will be no different. We will do our best to get all three points.
On resting a few key players against Mohun Bagan…
Although we had an international break, seven of my players were on international duty. It would be unfair to ask them to play again as they needed rest too. I decided to make some changes and give my players time to recover, and they are ready for this game.
On whether Bengaluru are considered favourites in the group…
I don’t want to think we are favourites in the group, Maziya’s players are very good and so is their teamwork. The last few results against Maziya were very close, and that is proof that they are a good side. All the teams in our group are good and play well, we have to try our best and ensure we win against everyone we face, if we wish to advance to the next round.
On the level of South Asian Football as compared to European football…
I think South Asian football is still quite far behind, European teams and some South American teams play in a totally different level. I think it will be difficult for the South Asian Clubs to have the same level unless they invest a lot more in growth and improvement of their youth teams, which is the most important aspect for growth of football. If teams only focus on the first team and not on youth teams, the level of football in South Asia will remain the same. But as of now I think the difference is quite big and there is room for improvement.
On skipper Sunil Chhetri remaining on the bench against Mohun Bagan…
Sunil Chhetri is an exceptional player. We are extremely happy with his performance. As a person as well as a player he can always influence the mood in the dressing room. He has played almost all the games for us and then went on to play for the national team in two difficult games. I felt he needed some rest as I have to ensure my players are not prone to injuries and have managed the situation as I believe I should have done.
With him or without him, two goals against Mohun Bagan would have happened. Today, he could be a game changing player for us, and I’m hoping that he will be as he usually is, because he is such a player who can turn games around in a matter of seconds.
On whether Sunil Chhetri can be the game changer tomorrow…
Sunil is no doubt a very important player and has the ability to change games. But you cannot say that, with him the team would win and without him the team would lose. He is an individual and football is a team game. Every player on the pitch has to play their part and only then can we expect results.
