We'll not simply enjoy the game but throw everything at it, says Javier Cabrera ahead of Kuwait clash

The outfit is set to play an in-form Kuwait for a place in the final of the SAFF Championship 2023.

Bangladesh's men’s football team is one of the four semi-finalists at the 2023 SAFF Championship. Javier Cabrera's side qualified for the knockout stages from Group B which had the likes of Lebanon, Maldives and Bhutan. However, their next assignment is set to be their toughest one at the tournament and winning it is going to be a massive challenge. 

Kuwait, the Group A toppers, will be Bangladesh’s next opponents and they are the only team from their group to prevent India from winning. The head coach of the Bengal Tigers, Javier Cabrera, expects it to be a tough match for his team. Having said that, he is preparing his squad with a mentality to win and get a place in the final.

He spoke to the media along with skipper Jamal Bhuyan in the pre-match press conference and gave an insight on his team’s preparedness and more:

Javier Cabrera on preparations

The head coach expressed concern about the lack of time to prepare for the game but believes his team is working hard to be ready for it.

He said, “We are trying to recover as much as possible. The players don’t have much time, not even 72 hours to recover before tomorrow’s game. Yesterday, we were really focused on that - players working to get as fresh as possible. Today, we will have a training session. We are ready and excited about facing Kuwait tomorrow in the semi-final after such a long time. I am convinced we can give them a big fight and try our best to get a spot in the final."

Adjusting to strengths and weaknesses 

The tactician talked about analysing Kuwait and getting his team ready according to their opponents' strengths and weaknesses. He said, “We always analyse our opponents as a priority to prepare for games. I always try to adjust to their strengths and find some weaknesses and take advantage of some situations. Tomorrow will be the same. We will keep being ourselves but also try to surprise them (Kuwait).”

Aiming for the final

Javier Cabrera expressed satisfaction upon reaching the semis but made it clear that Bangladesh are focused on winning the upcoming game to reach the final. He was quoted as saying, “Everyone is proud and happy after achieving a spot in the semi-finals. That was our first objective but once you are in the semi-final you want to secure a spot in the final. Everyone is focused on how to reach the finals. We are not going to simply enjoy the semi-final but throw everything at this game.”

Jamal Bhuyan on their upcoming opponents

The skipper of the Bangladesh football team is aware of Kuwait’s quality. However, he believes his team can deliver a strong performance.

He asserted, “We know Kuwait is a good and strong team. They were number one in their group so that is a sign they are a strong team. We believe in ourselves. We have a good group of players who can compete and do some damage. We are ready. Even though our body is a little bit tired but mentally we are 100% ready for the match.”