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The Indian Super League 2020/21 season will kick-off with a blockbuster of a fixture between ATK Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters FC. While Antonio Lopez Habas has retained most of his players from last season, the Blasters have a new look to their squad for the upcoming season.
While it certainly takes time for players to gel together and understand how to play alongside their teammates, coach Kibu Vicuna is confident that the Blasters will give a good account of themselves in the first game of the season.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Vicuna said that he was happy with the way the team has been training and said that they were ready for the first game tomorrow.
"ATK Mohun Bagan is a team that is similar to last season and they are the former champions. They have a very good team and have signed some very good players. However, we are happy with the team and we have been training well," said Kibu Vicuna.
"My coaching staff and I are also very happy with what we have seen. Yes, we are a new team, but we will be looking to compete in the game tomorrow," added Vicuna.
Spaniard Kibu Vicuna was the head coach of the Mohun Bagan side that claimed the I-League title last season. It is no secret that Vicuna was in the running to continue his tenure as head coach with ATK Mohun Bagan.
However, the management opted for Antonio Lopez Habas, the man who led the previous avatar of the club to two ISL titles. The first fixture of the season will see Kibu Vicuna go head-to-head against his former team, of sorts.
Speaking about the match-up, Vicuna said, "Tomorrow is ATK Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters and not Kibu Vicuna vs Antonio Lopez Habas."
To be captain is not just about wearing the armband: Kibu Vicuna
When asked about the reason behind having three captains, Kibu Vicuna stated that he normally has four captains in the squad, but this time, there are only three. The Spaniard also stated that the captains were selected after taking the opinions about whom the players wanted to be represented by.
"To be captain is not to only about having the armband. It is about representing the team on and off the field. I always like to have 3-4 captains. Right now, we have 3 but maybe we will have one more in some time," said Kibu Vicuna.
"The opinions of the players are important. We asked the team and they chose these players and agreed that these three players should be captains. We will decide who will be the captain for which match tomorrow," Vicuna concluded.
