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Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky expects a tough encounter when his side take on FC Goa in the first leg clash of the 2023-24 ISL semi-final in Fatorda on Wednesday.
The Islanders qualified directly for the last four having finished second in the points table after the league stage. FC Goa, who finished third made it to the semi-finals after defeating the sixth-placed Chennaiyin FC 2-1 in a knockout playoffs game on Saturday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the semi-final, the Mumbai City FC gaffer not only heaped praise on the Gaurs but also sounded optimistic about his team's ability. Stressing the significance of staying at their best right from the kick-off in a highly challenging contest like the semi-final, the 42-year-old said:
"FC Goa is a very good team and they had a very good first half of the season, so they were on the top of the ladder, five points clear. It'll be a very close game. Two good teams against each other. We are fully aware of their quality but we also know about us, how good we are, and how good we can be as well. We have to approach the game well from the start."
"We have a lot of things to improve from the season passed" - Petr Kratky
Both the games that FC Goa and Mumbai City FC played against each other in this ISL season ended in a draw. While it was a 0-0 stalemate in Fatorda last year, the match at the Mumbai Football Arena in February this year finished 1-1.
Expressing that the semi-final is a different ball game compared to a league fixture, Petr Kratky admitted that Mumbai City FC have a lot to improve upon heading into the crucial stage of this edition of the ISL.
"Look, it's the finals. It's a little bit different competition than the main competition. So, we have two games, so we have to be really ready from the start. I'm happy because the boys look positive they bounced back. But, we have a lot of things to improve from the season passed and going to the final. So, we are ready and we are looking good," Kratky said.
Acknowledging the fact that Mumbai City FC must dig deep to achieve positive results against a quality FC Goa side, the tactician further went on to add that the performance on the pitch depends mainly on the mindset of the players.
"It's all about the mindset than anything else. And we must make sure the players are physically, and mentally ready for that. As you know there are extra times always and hot conditions as well for both teams. So, will be not easy but we have to dig deep and work hard because we have something to pay back to our fans," Petr Kratky continued.
After Wednesday's first-leg fixture at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, the caravan will shift to the Mumbai Football Arena for the second leg, which is scheduled to be played on Monday.
