Carlos Pena: Situation not ideal but we have to do what is in our hands

The FC Goa tactician wants his team to return home with a positive result.

FC Goa play Bengaluru FC in their final league game of the Indian Super League (ISL 2022-23) campaign at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. It is a must-win match for the Gaurs and even a win may not be enough to secure a place in the ISL playoffs. Only one of the six slots is available and Carlos Pena’s men will pray that Odisha FC lose their clash against Jamshedpur FC on Wednesday. If the Kalinga Warriors secure even a single point against the Men of Steel, then the result between FC Goa and Bengaluru FC will be of no relevance.

Carlos Pena spoke to the media during the press conference ahead of the crucial fixture. He talked about the previous result, the pressure and more. Here are the excerpts from the conversation:

Not an ideal situation

The scenario is such that even if FC Goa win their last league game against Bengaluru FC, it may not be enough to grant them a place in the playoffs. “It’s not an ideal situation because it’s not in our hands, but we have to do what is in our hands. If we still have a chance to qualify, we need to fight for that, play bravely and focus on the right things to do on the pitch that will get us another win (against the Blues),” the head coach said in this regard. If Odisha FC secure a point against Jamshedpur, then FC Goa's game against Bengaluru will be a dead rubber.

Happy with performances

Carlos Pena made it clear that he was happy with his team’s performance. Since the club was unlucky in results, they can only focus on what is in their control. The mentor asserted, “I’ve generally been happy with the performances so far. We will sit down together and analyse what went right and what went wrong only after the season because the focus is now on how to get the three points on Thursday. We continue to believe in ourselves, and we hope to return home with a positive result.”

Need to reflect

FC Goa’s biggest concern this season has been inconsistency. The head coach believes that it was a matter of minute details and that the need for analysis will come after the match against Bengaluru FC. He said, “We must do the analysis as a whole and take in the data after the process. Whatever happens after the game against Bengaluru, we will analyse, and we will reflect on what we have done good and bad, and the solutions for the future. But right now, the focus is on Bengaluru FC."