"It's going to be tough for both sides"- FC Goa head coach Carlos Pena on his side's clash against Kerala Blasters | ISL 2022-23

Having struggled to gain positive results in their recent outings, FC Goa will hope to turn around their fortunes when they face Kerala Blasters at the Fatorda Stadium on Sunday, January 22.

The Guars are walking on a tightrope as they are placed sixth in the standings. Moreover, their winless streak currently stands at four games. The inconsistency has crept in, but Carlos Pena’s men have a chance to put an end to their record.

Pena believes the team needs to be positive and improve their performances if they want to secure a playoff spot. With Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC picking momentum, the pressure on the Guars is certainly high. Speaking to the media about the stakes involved, Pena said:

"In professional football, there’s always pressure from the first game. We knew that it’ll be tough to get to the playoffs stage because there are only six spots available. There are many teams fighting for it. I’m not worried, but I’m trying to improve my team and make my players believe that we are in a good way."

"Of course, we can improve, but we are in the battle to play in the playoffs," he added. "I think till now, we have been in the top six and it depends on us, so we need to be positive. Tomorrow is a very important game for us and tomorrow I expect the best version of my team."

FC Goa have an excellent record against the Blasters, especially in their fortress. They have won nine games, while only being on the wrong end four times. Quizzed on whether this plays to his side’s advantage, Pena stated:

"The teams change a lot depending on the season. Tomorrow, we can keep this good momentum against Kerala at home. I remember in the first leg, they arrived in that game with three defeats and after they win over us; they started a very good run and now they are fighting for the top spots."

"So, tomorrow we will face them when we are winless after four games," he added. "We can use this mentality, but it's is going to be tough for both sides. They know that it’s not going to be easy for them; we know it’s not going to be easy for us. We have to use our strengths and try to get three points."

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"We have to find our good level again" - Iker Guarrotxena on FC Goa’s recent form

FC Goa’s playmaker Iker Guarrotxena joined his manager in the press conference. The Spaniard has been a key figure for his side this season, with six goals to his name.

He opened up about FC Goa’s inconsistency and how they can build on their performances with just six games to go.

"I think we saw a very good FC Goa sometimes and we know we can do it," he said. "We want to reach this level again. It is true that we lost or drew some games that we expect to win, but it’s not easy to win in this league. Every team has good players and a good style of play, so I think it wasn’t easy to win all the games from the beginning.

"We have to find our good level again. We saw it a few games ago, and this is the level we have to reach. There are still six games, so the marks will get during the end of the season and not now."

The Spaniard, however, feels it is important to focus on his side rather than shifting attention to their opponents. He added:

I’m not in the mood to think too much about the opponents. We are trying to work on ourselves and find out the best way to win a game. I think it’s not the moment to speak about the opponent and about how they play. We have to improve and focus on ourselves. Try to continue doing the good things we are doing and there are a lot in the last few game

FC Goa have a chance to leapfrog Odisha FC to fifth in the standings and cement their place in the playoff berth.

However, Kerala Blasters have proved to be a difficult opponent, so the game could certainly be a tight contest both tactically and physically.