Atletico de Kolkata are the only team in Indian Super League history to have made it to the playoffs in all three seasons of the competition. However, this season has seen Kolkata drag themselves into the semis after eight of their 14 league games ended in a draw.
Going into the game against table-toppers Mumbai, many would tag Atletico de Kolkata as the underdogs. However, Kolkata coach has no problems with whatever tag people want to put around his team as long as they come of it as winners.
“For me, it doesn’t matter,” quipped Molina. “I honestly don’t waste time thinking of these things.”
“We may not be the favourites for people. And I get where they come from. Mumbai were the table toppers and hence they can think that they are the favourites.
“I don’t lose my time thinking whether we are favourites or not. And people should remember, favourites don’t always go to final.”
Team mentality not a problem
Kolkata might have ended with eight draws to their name. However, the former Spain international feels that the mentality of the team has nothing to do with it.
“We never played for a draw. We always want to win. We will try to win. If we can't win, a draw is the next best result. It’s better than a loss to your name,” quipped Molina
And the Atletico coach hopes to go into the game with the same mentality, looking for a win.
“We have already played against them before and we did a good job against them,” felt Molina. “Tomorrow, we again hope to do a good job.”
Atletico have let them themselves down on a number of occasions by defensive blunders. However, going up against a formidable Mumbai side, the former Villarreal manager feels that Kolkata has to be good all around the pitch to eke out a result
No revenge game and no special plans for Forlan
Mumbai are the only side to have gone away from the Rabindra Sarobar stadium with all three points. However, the 46-year-old doesn’t feel that this is a revenge game.
Speaking to the press before the game, Molina said, “This is no revenge game. As I said, the word revenge doesn’t exist in my dictionary. This is a different game altogether. This is the semi-finals and we don’t have anything in mind except for winning the game.
Going into the game, Mumbai have already shown their muscle power up front. The likes of Sunil Chhetri, Matias Defedrico and Sony Norde to go with their marquee star Diego Forlan have show their prowess up front.
However, going into the game, the ATK coach rule out having any special plans for the Golden Boot winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“There will be no special plans for Forlan. We are not only playing against Forlan. He will have ten teammates around him and we have to think how we can deal with them as a team and not single anyone out.
“Even in the last game, we didn’t have any special plans for him. Unluckily for us, he got at the end of a deflected effort. And you can’t plan for those situations.
“We defend as a team. We attack as a team. And in the end, we hope that we are the better team on the night.”
A nice farewell
Whilst feeling that neither team has any great advantage over each other, he hopes to bid farewell to the Rabindra Sarobar stadium and the ATK fans on a happy note.
“I would like to thank the fans for their support. And tomorrow I hope to send them home happy. It’s true that they haven’t seen the best of us here and we hope to change that tomorrow,” signed off the Spaniard.
And to do that Molina will have a full-strength squad at his disposal barring Arnab Mondal. The Indian international picked up a knock in training on the eve of the game.
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