Kolkata, May 3
They had clashed last month in a winner-take-all encounter to decide the winner of the League Shield in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24. On Saturday, Mohun Bagan Super Giant clash with Mumbai City FC once again in the final to decide the ISL 2023-24 Winners Cup.
Saturday's clash at the Salt Lake Stadium here will decide whether Mumbai City FC could exact revenge for their defeat in the final league match that resulted in Mohun Bagan topping the league standings. Bagan would like to win the final to complete the double of Shield and Cup to complete their domination.
Kolkata will be hosting its first-ever ISL final on Saturday and amid an electrifying excitement in the City of Joy, coaches and players from the two finalists assembled for a pre-match press conference summarising their thoughts ahead of the summit clash of the 10th season of the ISL.
On April 15, a similar match ensued between these two sides at this very stadium, where the Mariners edged past the Islanders 2-1 to dethrone Mumbai City FC and get crowned the ISL Champions. Back in 2020-21, the Mariners lost to Mumbai City FC 2-1 in the ISL final, and Antonio Lopez Habas was at the receiving end of that result. Whilst avenging such outcomes is a common talk in football, Habas' thought process transcends that currently.
The Mohun Bagan Super Giants coach said revenge will not be on top of his mind and it would be a tough encounter as they are playing a very good team.
"There is no question of revenge for me. It's one more game of football. We are playing against a very good opponent. I am very happy and excited for the final and we have to compete well to win the trophy. We have played finals in different places. But this is special, to play a final at our home in front of our own supporters," said Habas during the pre-match press conference on Friday.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant sparked a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season to storm towards becoming the ISL Champions, finishing the league stages with 48 points, as compared to the 47 of the Islanders.
They scored 47 goals in their 22 league matches, vis-เ-vis the 42 times that Mumbai City FC found the back of the net during the league matches. The home side has a thriving attacking contingent in the form of Jason Cummings, Dimitrios Petratos, Manvir Singh, and Liston Colaco, and they will all be edging to bring their A-game to the table in front of an expected 60,000 fans that will flock to the stands to back them through the thick and thins of tomorrow. Yet, Habas is treading a cautious line.
"There are no favourites for the final; neither do I want to be the favourite for the final. One move from the first minute to the last one can change the trajectory of the match. We have to concentrate. In the final, there is no point in choosing one favourite.
"But, our team have the supporters in the stands and that will have a huge impact on the players playing on the field. We are stronger than last season. Mumbai City FC, too, have grown a lot in this period. With good players, you need a good organisation as well to succeed. You need strong commitment from the players on the field, on that given day," he said.
Learnt from previous defeat: Kratky
The Mariners had almost swept aside Mumbai City FC in their title-deciding clash that drew curtains on the league stages of ISL 2023-24 in April. Their 2-1 win was as convincing as it could come, pushing an impeccable-looking Islanders' unit off balance with their fierce pace and assertion over their own style of play. Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky has certainly taken some learning from that defeat and is keen to correct them on Saturday.
"We have learnt from the previous game. We will try to start the game a little bit differently. We will play our football from the first minute. We will try to compete, and win the game. We have learnt from our first defeat and we have come here to compete, fight, and get the win," he said on Friday.
However, Kratky is not bogged down by the prospect of taking on the Mohun Bagan in front of their mighty home fan base. The tactician finds it as a source of encouragement, possibly hoping to silence the crowd as a consequence of the possible heroics of his team. He is even banking on a section of the Mumbai City FC supporters who will be travelling to Kolkata to make their love known for the club ahead of the big day.
"I don't think it's going to be a pressure for us. Our players are all used to playing in front of full stadiums. In fact, it gives us extra motivation to do well, because that's why we play football. We work hard for that. We can't wait to play football, play it our way, and if we focus on winning the game, everyone will enjoy it.
"I don't think there's extra pressure here if anything, we are going to enjoy the moment. The support of our travelling supporters is going to be very important. We love them. We play for them and we want to hear them. Keep cheering for us, but we will be hearing them. Even though they are outnumbered, we know they are there to support us and we will do our best for them," Kratky said.
One individual for whom the riveting atmosphere on Saturday won't come as a sudden surprise would certainly be Mumbai City FC skipper Rahul Bheke. The defender has had a stint with East Bengal FC previously and has hence been a part of the famous Kolkata Derby.
With emotions running high at the Salt Lake, Bheke is focused on keeping his calm and helping his players maintain their composure before the big encounter.
"I have played for East Bengal FC previously, so I have been here with the fans at Salt Lake Stadium supporting me. But, this time, I will be at Mohun Bagan Super Giant, facing a huge crowd against us, and we have witnessed that already three times this season, once in the Durand Cup, and twice in the league stages. So, it's a big moment for us. As a team, we are very prepared for the final," Bheke said.
Bagan's hopes for Dimitrios Petratos
For Mohun Bagan Super Giant, a big chunk of their hope for a victory in the grand finale rests on the shoulder of their dynamic striker Dimitrios Petratos.
The 31-year-old Australian has notched 10 goals and garnered seven assists in 22 appearances this season. With 0.45 strikes per game and a goal conversion rate of 15.15, he is a threat in all phases of the game, right from both inside and outside of the box to from set-pieces as well.
"Yes, Mohun Bagan Super Giant is one of the best clubs that I have played for in my entire career. I am really enjoying it here. The atmosphere is absolutely crazy. We hope to give back to our supporters with a win and give them something to enjoy after winning the next game. The only thing I can do is go out there and give my best. That is what I try to do, week in, week out. It's a part of the game, so I will just try to give my best (tomorrow)," Petratos said.
Evenly matched in numbers too
Mumbai City FC boast of an impressive 67% win rate and a scoring streak in each of their nine games against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
The Islanders can never be ruled out of contests until the final whistle is blown. Their second-half proficiency is exemplified by a league-leading 28 goals in that phase of the game, which stands in stark contrast to the Mariners' penchant for early goals (25 in first half of matches this season).
Mumbai City FC's Lallianzuala Chhangte has been a standout performer with the highest xG+xA (expected goals + expected assists) value in the ongoing season (14.62).
Defensively, the likes of Subhasish Bose (25 blocks and 31 assists), along with Tiri (68.9% duel success rate) and Hector Yuste (68% duel success rate) will hold the backline together for both teams.
With both teams displaying strengths in varied phases of the games, players from the two sides will be eager to etch their names in the ISL history with a powerful performance in the grand finale.