Manolo Marquez indicates changes in line-up against ATK Mohun Bagan

The Hyderabad FC tactician accepted that the upcoming game will be challenging for his team.

Hyderabad FC are set to welcome ATK Mohun Bagan at the G.M.C Balayogi Athletic Stadium for their upcoming Indian Super League (ISL 2022-23) contest on Tuesday. There are heavy stakes on the line in terms of race for the playoffs qualification. While Manolo Marquez's side are already through, they will hope to secure the second spot and get a direct berth in the semi-finals.

On the other hand, the Mariners are struggling to find goals and victories. They have one win in the last five matches. Any more hiccups will land them in trouble with other teams hoping to overtake them in the playoff race.

Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez took part in the media interaction ahead of the game. He talked about several key issues and presented his opinions in a forthcoming manner. Here are the excerpts:

Looking to secure second place

Manolo Marquez clarified that the mood in the camp is slightly better and that the aim is to secure a win in the game against the Mariners. He said, “The mood in the camp is okay. We know that we played a bad game in Bhubaneswar, but the next day Kerala Blasters lost to Bengaluru FC, which means we need two points. If we can win on Tuesday, it will be a great success to finish in the second position.”

Expecting a tough game

The tactician is aware of  ATKMB’s quality as they beat his men in the reverse fixture. Marquez spoke about playing against a team firmly in the race for playoffs qualification. He mentioned, “It will be a difficult game. The third and fourth positions are important positions, and at this moment, every game will be incredibly difficult. Now there are five-six teams fighting for four-five slots. To play against such teams is very difficult.”

ATK Mohun Bagan - a threat

The Mariners need help finding consistency. They have won only once in their last five matches. Having said that, Manolo Marquez will not let his team be complacent and instruct them to play to their strengths. He said, “I know they are in a difficult situation but all people who like football know that they are an excellent team and they can beat all the opponents. I think it will be a difficult game for both teams. We can beat them or we can be a difficult team to beat if we play in a good way,” 

Manolo Marquez also gave concluding remarks about the team selection wherein he said, “There will be changes, it won’t be the same team that played against Odisha FC.”