Juan Pedro Benali: Players know our objective is to go game by game

Juan Pedro Benali ushered praise upon NorthEast United defender Miguel Zabaco.

NorthEast United will take a trip to the City of Joy to face off against East Bengal. It will be the Highlanders’ second meeting against the Red & Golds this season. The last time these two sides came across each other, East Bengal showed NorthEast United the exit in the semi-final of the Durand Cup.

It is going to be a thriller of a contest as NorthEast United will be keen to settle scores with the home side. Ahead of the game, NorthEast United’s head coach Juan Pedro Benali and defender Dinesh Singh addressed the media and shared their thoughts.

Mood in the camp

When asked about the mood in the camp, the Spaniard said that the mood is great because the players know their objective.

“The mood is great because everybody (players) knows that our objective is to go game by game. We could’ve won against Bengaluru FC. They are a very big team with international players. But, we are always happy,” he stated.

Mohammad Ali Bemammer’s absence

NorthEast United will miss the service of their star defensive midfielder Mohammad Ali Bemammer who will miss the game due to suspension. Speaking about the same, Juan Pedro Benali said, “As I said before, we have 26 players and we need to find a solution. Everybody is ready to play and I think the player that we will put in place of Ali (Bemammer) will go a great job.”

Rivalry with East Bengal

Sharing his thoughts on NorthEast United’s rivalry with East Bengal, the head coach said that every game is different and the past is the past.

“Every game has its own story. You cannot compare games and competitions. This is a different game and we are going there to get the best result possible. And the past is the past,” he asserted.

Thoughts on Kalinga Super Cup

The AIFF recently announced that the Kalinga Super Cup will be played in January during the AFC Asian Cup. When asked about his thoughts on the same, he said, “Honestly, I don’t like it too much. I think many teams will not have many players. For us, it’s an advantage because only Yaser (Hamed) will be with his national team. I’m not thinking about the Super Cup now.”

He also added that such a long break will be very difficult for all the teams.

“It’s great to participate in it. But, after we finish the league we will have a long holiday and I think it’s not correct to have four months off. It’s going to be difficult for all the teams,” he quipped.

Role of Miguel Zobaco

Spanish defender Miguel Zobaco was adjudged NorthEast United’s fans’ player of the month for the second consecutive time. The head coach spoke about the defender, “He is the captain in and out of the field. He’s an experienced guy and he gives his best. And it’s not just him. All the players who are not on the list and are not playing are also working very hard.”

Dinesh’s comments 

Shift to the ISL

Dinesh was asked about his move to the ISL from the I-League. He said that there’s a lot of difference between the two leagues.

“There’s a lot of difference. It’s my first time playing in the ISL. All the players are helping and motivating me. I’m very happy and we will try to win the next match for the team,” he stated.

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