Kolkata, May 20 (Representative) Kolkata giants ATK Mohun Baganwill focus only on the positives when they take on Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh) in Group D of the AFC Cup 2022™ at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium on Saturday. ATK Mohun Bagan’s bid to advance to the Inter-Zone semi-finals suffered a blow when they fell 4-2 to fellow Indian side Gokulam Kerala FC on Matchday One. With only the top team to advance to the Inter-Zone semi-finals, defeat against Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings – who defeated Maziya Sports & Recreation Club in their opener – would mean early elimination for Juan Ferrando’s side. Ferrando said there would be no change in how ATK Mohun Bagan approach the match.
“Against Bashundhara we will try to do our best,” said Ferrando. “My team is a good team, a good club. At this moment, I want to concentrate on that. “We are continuing the same plan, the same style. This is football, I trust my squad. I know they want to do their best, and tomorrow (Saturday) is going to be better than the last.” With several injury doubts, ATK Mohun Bagan may not have their best players available but Ferrando said he had enough depth to counter the probable absences. “We have been unlucky with injuries, like Tiri (who had to be stretchered off against Gokulam Kerala). Pressure exists all the time, we have 26 players. I trust all the players. We won’t have Tiri but there are other players that I trust to hold the defence in his absence.”
Basundhara Kings head coach Oscar Bruzon said the opening 30 minutes would be crucial in deciding the outcome of the match “Big match, nice venue with the home team (ATK Mohun Bagan) planning a do-over game. We will stick to our plan, it will be important to hold the first 30 minutes, and then go ahead with our plans,” said Bruzon. “ATK Mohun Bagan are a team still in transition. They need to adapt more to the coach’s plan. We know they are struggling at the back. But I am sure the coach has identified the struggles, and we will not get complacent. “Kolkata fans can be very demanding, the first 30 minutes can see more support for the home team but as we know the demands of the fans can mentally affect players. “We did what we had to do in the first game and now, it will be about controlling the game against ATK Mohun Bagan. If we can do that, we will do well tomorrow.”, Bruzon added.