Ivan Vukomanovic: Hope players will prove a point after loss at Kolkata

The Kerala Blasters tactician is looking forward to the match that promises to be exciting.

Kerala Blasters are set to welcome Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Tuesday in the Indian Super League (ISL). The 2022-23 ISL campaign is approaching the business end. With the league phase about to reach its conclusion, the race for the playoffs is heating up. Ivan Vukomanovic’s men are favourites to follow Mumbai City and Hyderabad FC in securing an ISL playoffs berth for the ongoing term. The head coach hopes for a response from his side after a defeat in the previous game against East Bengal.

He spoke to the media ahead of the clash against CFC and answered various questions candidly.

No guarantees

While speaking about his team’s chances of making it into the playoffs, Ivan Vukomanovic said, “We are in the third spot but there are no guarantees. We have to win to secure the playoff spot. We have to compete and I like that.”

“Anything is possible in this league. Anyone can beat any team home or away. Every team enjoys a spell of good momentum and one spell of inconsistency. Bengaluru FC is the team that is in a good shape now with the quality they have and are winning games,” he further added in the context of the race for the top six positions.

Rivalry with the Marina Machans

Talking about the upcoming match with Chennaiyin FC, Vukomanovic believes it is a fixture that every player wants to be a part of. He said, “These kinds of matches make you better. So, as a player, everyone wants to play these games.”

“I hope we go there and play a nice match for our fans and get a good result. It doesn't matter what position the team is in and I feel everyone will be motivated. I hope our players will want to prove a point after our defeat in Kolkata,” he further spoke in the hopes of seeing a response from his players.

Fitness concerns

Ivan Vukomanovic also talked about the ongoing virus in the KBFC camp that has caught several players. Prabhsukhan Gill caught it and now Apostolos Giannou is also feeling unwell which makes him doubtful for the game against CFC. In this situation, Vukomanovic relies on Victor Mongil who is performing a fabulous job in the absence of Marko Leskovic, who is working towards fully recovery.

“Victor is an experienced player and is well-educated from his Spanish background. He is a player who is getting better the more he is playing. I never doubted Victor even when he wasn't playing. He is a great guy and a good player and he is showing his quality. I'm happy with his performance. He is an experienced player and I can say nothing but the best about Mongil,” Ivan said while praising the experienced defender.