PRE-MATCH QUIPS: Guimaraes says the attack & defence must do well; Molina insists ATK must be at their best

Mumbai City FC and Atlético de Kolkatta are eyeing to complete 3 matches with a win. It's the start of the season, so work well begun is half done should be the mantra for both teams.

Speaking to the reporters yesterday, ahead their second home game Guimaraes stressed,

“We are all very pleased with the start of the season. It’s a total different feeling that the club and fans have…it is going to be a different season for MCFC, so of course this is good. We know we are just at the start of the season so you have to be very alert as we play every three to four days.”

He continued,

“There is not much time to celebrate or cry. You have to always be competitive and we have our third game tomorrow. It will be a tough game against a good team that has re-signed its players from last season especially the foreign players, so they have a good understanding of each other. We have to continue to play our game and be focused, very aggressive, solid and compact in our game especially our defence. It’s important that we continue to get three points.”

ATK head coach admitted the tie is tough one as none of the teams would want to throw away the momentum of victories and said,

“We know we are going to play against an excellent team as they won the last two matches. In two matches gaining six points and keeping two clean sheets is a very good start for Mumbai City FC. We have to be at our very best because we have to win. We will try to play our style. I think it will be an interesting match as both teams have similar styles.”

Mumbai City FC are with maximum points from 2 games but those have not been picture perfect performances with some lapses that could have changed the scoreline. Keeping that in mind, Guimaraes went on to say,

“We have to improve to ensure we do not give the rivals easy chances. In the last two games we did very well but we gave away some good opportunities to the opponent. So if we reduce the margin (of errors) that will make us even stronger. We have to improve in different ways of attacking. But now it’s just the games that will make you improve because you do not have time in practice to make corrections.”

Coach Molina on a question about the threat possessed by MCFC marquee Forlan and if the team needs to work on a plan to neutralise Forlan answered,

“No we don’t. We will try to play the game we want. If we keep possession, then we will need to defend less. Of course we cannot have all the possession so we will have to defend tomorrow.”

Guimaraes was quizzed about the injuries and availability of players. To which he did not mention any names tactfully and said,

"We have a little more than 24 hours for the game. We will have checkups today evening as well as tomorrow morning to see how the players feel. Then at lunch tomorrow we will know exactly with whom I can start.”

Molina on how he plans to breach the Mumbai defence said,

“No special plan. I know it will be difficult to score goals as they are defending well and maintained clean sheets in their last two matches. We have scored three goals in our last two matches so we will try to attack. We had many more chances to score more than three goals so we will try to play in the same way.”

Words from the Spaniard on the team's performance so far, whether he is content and areas that can be improved were,

“Yes. I am absolutely happy with my team. As a coach you can see something to improve always. You will not be completely happy about everything but I am very happy with the performance of our team and we try to keep improving every day. We will try to score more goals, shuffle less players. After the two matches we have already played I am happy with my team.”

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