"Match against Jamshedpur FC is like the final," claim ATK Mohun Bagan's Roy Krishna and Pritam Kotal
ATK Mohun Bagan have secured a place in the ISL 2021-22 semi-finals after edging past Chennaiyin FC in their last game. Despite their 15-game unbeaten run, the Mariners still need to compete against current league leaders Jamshedpur FC for a table-top finish on the last matchday of the regular season.
Juan Ferrando's men are desperate to make it to the top to secure a place in the AFC Champions League. The ATK Mohun Bagan squad has already started preparing for the Jamshedpur FC clash and is looking to avoid any complacency in the match.
Skipper Pritam Kotal and forward Roy Krishna spoke to the ATK Mohun Bagan media team ahead of the clash. Roy scored the only goal of the game against Chennaiyin FC that saw the Mariners pick up three points.
The Fijian ace reflected on the match against the Marina Machans and also shed light on how they intend on approaching the Jamshedpur FC encounter.
"Chennaiyin is a good team," he said. "Beating the team was not easy. We have reached the playoffs. This time we will play the final against Jamshedpur to stay at the top of the league. Jamshedpur is a strong team but we want to focus on ourselves. We want to play with the confidence that will take us to the top of the league. We have that opportunity."
Roy Krishna also admitted that he was under no pressure to score in the last game but is happy to have contributed to the team's cause.
"There was no pressure on me to score," he said. "It feels good to score. This is not my sole achievement, it is a team's success. We were able to keep the goal intact in two consecutive matches. This continuity must be maintained. Everyone knows what to do in the Jamshedpur match. We shall do what needs to be done for a final match. We will get on the field after proper recovery. "
Roy has urged the fans to continue supporting them in their fight for ultimate glory.
ATK Mohun Bagan skipper Pritam Kotal shares his views on the Jamshedpur FC clash
ATK Mohun Bagan skipper Pritam Kotal, meanwhile, has been involved in every match for the Mariners since the start of the ISL 2021-22 campaign. The defender, too, shared his views in the build-up to the Jamshedpur FC clash.
He recalled the memories from last season, when the situation was quite similar but against a different opponent.
"Last year was the same situation," he recollected. "I think we could not meet the target because we took too much pressure in a hurry. We don't want to do that now. We have to play our own game and wait for the goal. When there is no other way to become a champion except to win, the Jamshedpur match has to be taken as the final match. Because now our only goal is to get permission to play in the Champions League."
Pritam also spoke up about the improvements the side has made since the arrival of head coach Juan Ferrando. He praised Roy Krishna's contributions to the team as well and stated how his presence impacts the Mariners.
"From ball possession to passing, our team has improved in both cases," he said. "This has increased the confidence of the whole team. In the Chennaiyin match we played some dangerous passes as a part of the strategy. There has been success in that. The defence is much more organized than before. We will play the Jamshedpur match in another strategy. They play long balls. The whole team is very organized."
The ATK Mohun Bagan skipper is aware of the tactical configurations employed by the Men of Steel. He highlighted how Owen Coyle's men have scored goals from counter-attacks and set-pieces this season.
However, Pritam is delighted with the return of Roy Krishna, whose presence on the field is believed to be a threat to the opposition's defense.