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Bengaluru FC rallied to a 2-1 victory over Odisha FC in their previous Indian Super League (ISL) match. However, the Blues' challenges are nowhere near over as they next face one of the most consistent sides in the division, ATK Mohun Bagan.
Ahead of Sunday's game, Bengaluru FC head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli lauded the Mariners, saying they are one of the best sides in the league. But he was quick to add that his players are ready for the challenge.
The last time the two teams faced each other, the match ended in a 3-3 draw. When asked by Sportskeeda if he expects a similar open game, Pezzaiuoli said:
"It will be an open game. Although they have a more experienced squad, we have a good, young squad who are hungry and ready to win the game. They can afford a draw but we have to win and that's clear. We are going to play against one of the best teams in the league and that also makes the football interesting. ATK Mohun Bagan have high quality players, but we need to focus on ourselves."
Pezzaiuoli also opened up about the high level of competitiveness shown in the Indian Super League by the sides at the bottom of the league standings. He explained:
"Yesterday, in the game between Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United FC, we saw how tight it was. And NEUFC are at the bottom of the league. We also lost our game against them. That makes this season of the ISL very interesting. The supporters also like it because you don't know who's winning the games. This is what we need to develop Indian football."
"Lara Sharma has done well" - Bengaluru FC boss Marco Pezzaiuoli lauds young goalkeeper
The Blues narrowly edged Odisha FC in a closely fought contest on Monday. Bengaluru FC goalkeeper Lara Sharma, who stepped in to replace the unavailable Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, was often called into action against the Kalinga Warriors, even pulling off a finger-tip save in the second half of the game.
Gurpreet has been a mainstay between the sticks for BFC. But he's presently sick and isn't expected to return anytime soon.
In Gurpreet's absence, Lara has done extremely well over the past couple of games. When asked by Sportskeeda about the youngster's performances, Pezzaiuoli said:
"Lara Sharma has done well, and he's been working well with the other goalkeepers and Stefan Toonen, the coach. We trust and believe in Lara but also in Sharon (Padattil). In pre-season, we gave them both games. When I was with the German Youth Teams, I had Ter Stegen, Bernd Leno and other 'keepers who were all very good. In Karlsruher SC, we had Oliver Kahn and Simon Jentzsch, who were also two top goalkeepers. The idea is to trust them and give them responsibility at the right time."
The German gaffer also opined that Lara Sharma's rise will also force Gurpreet, who is always hungry to be the first-choice goalkeeper, to up his game.
If the 22-year-old can sustain his progression, Bengaluru FC will have a different kind of headache to deal with next season.next season.
