Kolkata Derby 'just like El Clasico' says Carles Cuadrat ahead of Indian football season

Carles Cuadrat also mentioned about the team’s attacking plan this season.

East Bengal ended as runners-up in the Durand Cup 2023 and clinched the Kalinga Super Cup with Carles Cuadrat’s tactical acumen.

Indian football’s 2024-25 season is almost at our doorstep with the Durand Cup 2024 scheduled to kickoff on July 27. A total of 24 teams divided into six groups will be competing in the group phase, with the top eight teams advancing to the knockout rounds.

East Bengal have been drawn in Group A alongside arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bangladesh Army and the Indian Air Force. But, before that, the Kolkata heavyweights announced their 23-man roster ahead of the upcoming season at a media interaction held in Kolkata on Monday.

Coach Carles Cuadrat along with East Bengal’s Brazilian skipper Cleiton Silva and the team’s assistant coach Dimas Delgado spoke to the media during the pre-season press conference. The event was attended by the whole roster as well as distinguished board members.

Excerpts from the coach’s key talking points while addressing the media have been highlighted in this article.

Squad Depth

This season, East Bengal have announced a balanced 23-man roster ahead of the season and guess what, the roster includes some of the top performers from the last season. The club have roped in ISL 2023-24 Golden Boot winner Dimitri Diamantakos and top assist-provider Madih Talal.

They have also secured the services of Durand Cup 2023 top scorer David Lalhlansanga and five Indian internationals, including wonder-boy Jeakson Singh, who has joined the Red and Gold on a four-year contract.

Reflecting on the squad Carles Cuadrat said, “I came to India in 2016 and in these seven years of mine in Indian football, this is certainly, one of the best squads, without a doubt. Of course, we’ll be under pressure, but football is about facing the pressure and the difficulties.”

He further added, “Last season, the squad did not have enough depth to compete. So, it was a pleasant surprise when we reached the Durand final and won the Super Cup. However, it would not be surprising if we reached the finals of a tournament this time around. Last season, it was more about defending the goal and scoring points. But, we now have choices and we plan to be more attacking and aggressive this season.”

Kolkata Derby & El Clasico

Ever since the two Kolkata heavyweights made it to the Indian Super League, East Bengal are yet to clinch their first victory in the Kolkata Derby. Last year, East Bengal won their first derby in the modern era during their Durand Cup group phase tie with arch-rivals, Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Their second derby win came in the Kalinga Super Cup.

Now, with a well-knit squad and a proactive tactical approach, coach Carles Cuadrat hopes to win an ISL Kolkata Derby this season.

Cuadrat quoted, “We all understand how important this game is. The way all of the players have trained so far and will continue to train, we aim to give it our all when we play against Mohun Bagan this time. They are a good team and I respect the club.”

He proceeded to draw parallels between El Clasico and the Kolkata Derby, saying, “Both these clubs are just like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in Spain.”

Dimas Delgado mentions Pep Guardiola

Dimas Delgado, East Bengal’s assistant coach, met Pep Guardiola this month during a reunion commemorating the 16th anniversary of the current Manchester City manager’s first title. Delgado played for Barcelona’s ‘B’ team in 2007-2008 and was managed by Guardiola before he took over the senior team.

“Since he’s from City, Mumbai City had come up for discussion as the Premier League club has a tie-up with the ISL team, but we also talked about our project at East Bengal and he wished us luck for the new season,” Delgado recalled.

Carles Cuadrat recalls his roots

East Bengal’s Spanish tactician Carles Cuadrat hails from Barcelona. He started as a left-back at the club’s youth academy La Masia, and went on to play for their reserve teams, namely FC Barcelona ‘C’ and FC Barcelona ‘B.’

During the press conference, when questioned about his tactical outlook ahead of the season, Carles Cuadrat recalled his foundation saying, “Our roots belong to La Masia and we understand the football tutelage that is needed for the team.” He also mentioned his Bengaluru FC days when he was called the “set-pieces coach,” to which he added, “We didn’t score much from set-pieces last season here at East Bengal.”

Captain Speaks

East Bengal’s Brazilian skipper Cleiton Silva was their main man last season. From leading the team in the Kolkata Derby to clinching the Kalinga Super Cup title, his contributions have been endless.

Silva is aiming for a top six spot once again in the Indian Super League as he feels that it’s better to move ahead by taking one step at a time. Once they succeed in that, they can chalk out their next step. Also, when he was asked about being bolstered by Dimitri Diamantakos and Madih Talal’s presence, the skipper had his take on it.

He stated, “I am not relaxed. I always like to push myself, not because of the fact that there are other players in the team, but because I try to be a better version of myself every time I go out on the field.” He also commented on a comparison between the strikers of the two Kolkata heavyweights, adding that he believes in winning the game as a whole rather than focusing on individual players.

East Bengal will begin their campaign on July 29, 2024 when they face Indian Air Force in the Durand Cup 2024 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

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