"Everything is possible in football" - ATK Mohun Bagan head coach ahead of ISL second-leg semi-final against Hyderabad FC

ATK Mohun Bagan will lock horns with Hyderabad FC on Wednesday in their second-leg semi-final fixture in the Indian Super League (ISL). After a bright start against the Nizams, the Mariners fell short in front of goal while their opponents netted thrice to record a 3-1 win. Juan Ferrando's side will thus be on the backfoot heading into the second-leg meeting.

The ATK Mohun Bagan head coach answered a few questions from the media ahead of their clash against Hyderabad FC. Unfazed by the scoreline, the Spaniard stated that anything can happen in their upcoming match.

"Everything is possible in football but of course, it's not easy," he said.

Ferrando also shed some light on the preparations of the Mariners ahead of the game.

"It is necessary to prepare a plan for everything," he said. "We will see how Hyderabad has planned but in the end it's all about our plans and how focused we are."

The ATK Mohun Bagan gaffer revealed that he had been in a similar situation earlier in his career and believes that it is possible to overturn the two-goal deficit. The Spaniard underlined the importance of a strong mentality in such scenarios.

"Of course, I have been in situations like this before and it is not easy," he said. "You have to prepare one plan and trust it. The most important thing is the mentality. For us, the problem was COVID, quarantine and comparatively fewer training sessions and that has been a problem. I think it's necessary to be professional and believe we can do it."

ATK Mohun Bagan head coach talks about change in mindset

The Mariners were earlier used to a different approach in their methods. They would usually defend more than attack.

But since the appointment of Juan Ferrando as their head coach, the side has adapted to his style and seeks to attack more and create chances. Ferrando emphasized the importance of a change in mindset in order to execute his plans.

"Of course, we need to improve in a lot of areas, but it's mainly the mentality," he said. "When you are a goal up, you need to look for the second goal. When you score the second goal, you need to look for the third."

It will be interesting to see how Pritam Kotal and his men approach this match and if they can at all overturn the deficit.