Pressure will be on East Bengal, not on us, asserts Clifford Miranda ahead of Kolkata Derby

Both the Kolkata giants have won their first two games in Kalinga Super Cup.

After winning their first two matches in the Kalinga Super Cup, Mohun Bagan Super Giant is now preparing to face East Bengal FC at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 19th of January. In the last two matches, Mohun Bagan secured comfortable victories against Hyderabad FC and Sreenidi Deccan.

The upcoming derby carries significant importance, as the two rivals will compete to conclude the group stage fixtures on a positive note.

Mohun Bagan’s coach, Clifford Miranda and captain Brendan Hamill were in attendance at the pre-match press conference to address inquiries pertaining to their upcoming match.

Thoughts about the match 

The upcoming match carries significant importance in determining qualification for the semifinal round of the Super Cup. The victorious team will secure their place in the subsequent round.

“Not just us, you also know the significance of the match, not just in terms of the derby but more importantly in terms of securing a spot in the semifinal. We just need to play well as a unit, the way we have been playing all this while”, coach Clifford Miranda said in a statement regarding the match against East Bengal. 

“These are the games we love to play. It’s the first game you look at when the fixture comes out. So, we don’t need any extra motivation for it”, Brendan Hamil added.

First derby as a coach

The match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal at Kalinga Stadium is going to be coach Clifford Miranda’s first derby as a coach. 

When he was asked about any pressure regarding the derby in his mind, he replied, “Yes, this is my derby as a coach and I’m also excited for it. But to be honest for me it’s just like another game. I will do my job and the players will do theirs.”

Is East Bengal a bit stronger than Mohun Bagan in tomorrow’s Derby?

When asked about East Bengal having an advantage, Clifford replied “You know very well that we are missing nine players in the team, some due to injuries. Irrespective of that we have full trust on the players who are in the team.”

“East Bengal needs a draw and we need a win, which means they will start as favorites. So the pressure will be on them, not on us. It’s a game for them to lose, not for us”, he added.

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