ACL 2021 | I am proud of what my players have done so far: FC Goa head coach Juan Ferrando
Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa head coach Juan Ferrando interacted with the media ahead of the sixth and final game of the AFC Champions League (ACL) on Thursday.
FC Goa are placed third in Group E of the 2021 ACL and have managed to get three points courtesy of three draws so far, including one against Al Wahda.
Our plan is to be competitive: FC Goa Head Coach Juan Ferrando
FC Goa head coach Juan Ferrando talked about the fitness of the team, his plans for the next game, and also heaped praise on his side for a commandable ACL campaign so far.
Excerpts from AFC Media:
“Finishing third in the group of the AFC Champions League is not an easy task. As the head coach, I’m proud of what my players and coaching staff have done so far.
“In the end the most important is to make the best decisions on the field tactically and hope that it will play in your favour. The key is staying focused and putting our best team forward.
“These players are mentally strong in managing pressure so I think if I’ve substituted them in a previous match, there is no problem in their performance for the next match. I don’t see my players losing confidence. The target in every match and tomorrow is going to be the same.
“Our plan is to be competitive and collect the three points tomorrow. It may not be an easy task considering the recovery of our players but we must keep our concentration and perform,” said Ferrando.
We want to qualify for the next round: Al-Wahda Head Coach Henk Ten Cate
Al-Wahda find themselves in second position in the standings and need three points against FC Goa to inch closer to qualification to the next round as one of the best second-placed sides in the league.
Al-Wahda head coach Henk ten Cate talked about the FC Goa challenge, his ambitions for the team and expectations from today's fixture.
Excerpts from AFC Media:
“It’s the last game for this group and even though the players are tired, I’m really looking forward to this match. We’ve been playing in this competition with this bubble for three weeks. It’s not easy but we are managing thanks to the people here in India.
“So we want to win but it will not be an easy game tomorrow as we have a couple of players suspended. It will be hard because FC Goa are still in search of their first win and they will do everything to get the three points.
“We must not allow them to win the game. We want to qualify into the next round, It’s what we came here for and hopefully we will succeed.
“We are finally playing in a late kick-off here in Goa and that means we will know the result of the Persepolis match. For me it’s not really an advantage but for the players it is because it will allow them some time to have proper refreshments during this Ramadan,” said Ten Cate.
FC Goa vs Al-Wahda will kick-off at 10.30 PM IST at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Thursday, April 29.