Our players do not feel burdened by pressure: Sergio Lobera

Odisha FC will play their first ever AFC Cup game tomorrow

Just some hours to go, the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar will be fully occupied by the fans to witness their home team Odisha FC debut in the AFC Cup against the formidable Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

The 2022-23 season proved to be a remarkable one for Odisha FC on multiple fronts. Notably, the club achieved the noteworthy feat of qualifying for the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs. This marked a significant milestone considering the fact that Odisha FC was only established in 2019.

Furthermore, the Juggernauts secured their maiden title by emerging victorious in the Super Cup. Additionally, in a thrilling encounter against Gokulam Kerala FC in the club-playoffs, Odisha FC emerged triumphant, thus earning a coveted spot in the group stages of the AFC Cup. This achievement stands as a historic first for the club.

In anticipation of the upcoming match, Odisha FC hosted a pre-match press conference, graced by the esteemed presence of head coach Sergio Lobera and captain Amrinder Singh, both of whom addressed a series of inquiries.

How is the excitement of players?

The entire team will appear enthused as they prepare to make their debut in the prestigious AFC Cup, particularly against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

On being asked about this Coach Sergio Lobera stated that, “Not just the players, the whole club is excited for this match. After having a long pre-season, it’s now time to move ahead and achieve more feat. The players are also ready for the challenge and hopefully tomorrow we will get a good result as expected.”

Is there any pressure?

When queried on this, the Coach came with a more positive answer, “Undoubtedly, this upcoming match holds great significance for our team. However, our players do not feel burdened by the pressure, instead, they are genuinely eager for the fixture. But it is our collective responsibility to deliver a stellar performance, especially for the fans who will undoubtedly flock in large numbers to support the team.”

How do you rate the opponent?

“We know we are going to play against one of the best teams in India. They have very good players, they won the trophy last season.

"We have a lot of respect for all the teams but we don't feel afraid of anything because we have tools to compete against everything” added Sergio Lobera.

Plan on incorporating Diego and Roy in the team

Diego Mauricio and Roy Krishna represent a potent strike force for Odisha FC this season. Their formidable presence on the team is expected to be a significant advantage that they shall leverage effectively.

On being asked about their presence in the team, Sergio stated that, “I think the most important thing is not about the individuals, it’s about the team. We have very good players, but at the end, my job as a coach is to lead a winning team, because it's the most important thing. You need to build a good team and then it's possible that individuals will shine”

Team’s experience under Coach Sergio Lobera

Captain Amrinder Singh was much insightful when he was asked about this. He stated, “Under his coaching, the players are truly improving. After the pre-season, we witnessed a lot of changes in training, which has been fruitful for all of us. Even the players are also very disciplined, they just follow what their coach says.”

On Juan Fernando

Without taking any credit for himself, Sergio replied, “Juan is a very good coach. We both also know each other very well. But at the end football is not about coaches, it’s about the players. And I’m proud of the squad that I have.”