ISL 2025-26: "The boys will try to give their best on the field tomorrow", Oscar Bruzon urges East Bengal players to play against Mohun Bagan SG with a winning mentality in title decider

Epic Kolkata Derby to define ISL title.

All roads lead to Kolkata’s iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) as the two Kolkata giants, East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG, lock horns in an all-important Kolkata Derby on Sunday, May 17, at 7:30 PM (IST).

The ISL finally will see a Kolkata Derby that matters. This one doesn’t just matter. This one, on May 17, could be the game that defines 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL)

The two Kolkata sides have dominated the league this season and have consistently occupied the top two positions on the league table.

With only two rounds left to be played, the two rivals are currently separated by goal difference and as a result, the derby becomes a virtual final as the winner of the game will be almost certain to win the ISL League Winners’ Shield.

Ahead of the all-important Kolkata Derby, East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon and one of the captains of the team this season, Mohammed Rashid addressed the media.

Here is a detailed report of the pre-match press conference between East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

Pressure of the Kolkata Derby

It will be Oscar Bruzon’s sixth match as an East Bengal head coach in a Kolkata Derby. He had explained how to handle the pressure of this kind of matches before the high-voltage clash.

Oscar stated: “Good afternoon, everyone. Here we have Rashid, one of the captains of the team this season, but we will miss our three captains, Saul, Mahesh and Souvik. Throughout this season, we have faced these injury issues, and we have fought back really well. So, it will not be different in the Derby, too; we will be on the field with what is available to us. I think the boys will try to give their best on the field tomorrow as it’s a new match, with a fresh playing eleven as well.”

“As you have said tomorrow it will be my last derby as East Bengal’s head coach, I would make sure to make that a memorable one for both of us and would also like to change the stat that East Bengal have never won an ISL derby against Mohun Bagan. It might be my last derby as a coach, but I will be an East Bengal fan forever.”

“I know the previous struggles of East Bengal, even the 2018-19 season of the I-League, how they have missed the championship because of one point in the last match. I know everything, so this is the moment to regain the lost glory for the club. This season we have lost two finals in penalties and missed out on two trophies, so this time we will try our best to bring back the trophy to the club after 22 years.”

“At this moment, the only important thing is the Derby. So I want to focus on the derby only. So now I don’t want to talk about the East Bengal club’s core committee meetings, Emami management, and anything else; the only focus is now on the derby. We need to come to the field with a positive attitude and bring out some positive results for the fans and the club, which they have been waiting for so long”, he also added.

Mentality of the team ahead of the Derby

The Spaniard said: “I have told you guys before also that when I came to East Bengal, they were in a very bad situation, the team was struggling after losing six matches back-to-back in that ISL season. They were mentally very weak, too. I still remember when I came here, East Bengal were struggling at the bottom of the table, but at the end of the season, we finished in the middle half of the table. But this season it was completely different for us, a lot of positives for us, I will not mention all of them, but a lot of positives to take away from this season.”

“Yes this season the team is full of confidence, and we have been successful in doing that. We have a team of winners. All the players have a winning mentality in them. That is the one thing I have been able to reinstall on this side. It is all about the winning mentality, I keep telling them in all the training sessions and also before every game. You need to be positive with a winning mentality always. I think if East Bengal moves like this, they have a bright future ahead”, he added.

How have things changed for East Bengal over the years?

The Spanish Gaffer, Oscar Bruzon defined how East Bengal have changed over the last one year and what are the positive signs of the side before the epic Kolkata Derby on Sunday.

Bruzon stated: “On Mohun Bagan’s perspective, nothing has changed over the last season, other than their coach. But if we talk about East Bengal, a lot of things have changed. Now, we have players like Jeakson and Vishnu who can play in different positions. Bipin and Edmund can control the wing play. Also, three players from our side will be representing the National team. But there will be eleven players from the Mohun Bagan side that will represent India. So they have a strong domestic bench, and they have been the Champions before. But East Bengal have developed a lot as a team over the past year, so it will be a tough one, an end-to-end derby battle. Considering our recent form and performance, I am confident that this team is capable of grabbing all three points from the derby.”

“Yes it has been 22 years since East Bengal haven’t won a major Indian league trophy or title. So it is a chance to end this drought as well. But seven teams are fighting for the top two positions and are also among the title contenders this season. It is very intense. I have always told throughout the season, even you can ask the management and the players, that this season our target is to finish in the top six. So now that has been achieved, we can target the trophy and the top two position finish as well. As the stakes are high, if we finish second, we will get a chance to play in the AFC, as Mohun Bagan has a suspension.”

“We need to believe and be positive. The pressure will be more on Mohun Bagan as they will try to defend their ISL title, but now standing here, we will go all out for both the trophy and the AFC spot as well.”

On controlling Derby emotions and fitness issue of Anwar Ali

East Bengal FC head coach, Oscar Bruzon stated that controlling the emotions and handling the pressure is very important in games like these. He explained that how his Torchbearers will approach the Kolkata Derby, with positivity and winning mentality.

Oscar said: “Controlling the emotions in this kind of match is very important. I was not on the bench in the Final of the Super Cup this season due to the red card in the semi-final; it was very unfortunate. Saying that, we are playing in the top-tier league of Indian Football, we are playing for a historical club with a lot of legacy, and we are standing here, where the Championship is at stake. The derby will decide the title winners, so we need to control our emotions and try to replace them with our performance. We need to be positive and have a winning mentality. As Rashid has also told that we need to approach the game with positivity. I have always told my boys this is a week of winning mentality and show everyone that what East Bengal is capable of, that’s it.”

“Anwar is very much fit and ready to play tomorrow in the derby. He’s trying his best to recover well; it is a recurring fitness issue. He will try to play the full 90 minutes of the game. Yes, injury was a regular concern for us this season, but we have dealt with it very well; hopefully, we will do the same in the remaining matches too.”

“Lobera and I are both from Spain. Our mentality is the same. We will try to use all the weapons available in our armory tomorrow to play an attacking style of football, as both of us like to win.”

“I will tell you something in Spanish later, but for now I will pray that East Bengal wins the league and Spain wins the World Cup”, he finished off with.

Mohammed Rashid explains the importance of the Derby

Mohammed Rashid will have to play a vital role in the East Bengal outfit in the absence of Saul Crespo and Mahesh Singh Naorem in the midfield area in the Kolkata Derby. Rashid can hold the ball and also has the ability to score from a distance, this will be the key aspects for the important Kolkata Derby.

Rashid stated: “This will be my third Kolkata Derby in East Bengal jersey, and my second one in Kolkata. This derby match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan is considered to be one of the biggest matches in Asia. Every footballer wants to play this match and enjoy the atmosphere of a Kolkata Derby. The atmosphere and situation of this match are completely different from the other matches. Very electric atmosphere, with 70-80 thousand spectators from both the clubs attending the match, it is very different. So I want to play this match with a cool head, a lot of positive attitude and composure.”

“Every big player in the world likes to play these kinds of matches. We will miss Saul and Mahesh. But we have to remain focused, the work of the eleven footballers is to follow the instructions of the coach and bring out the best performance on the field.”

“The way we have performed so far speaks to where we are standing now. This is one of the best sides of East Bengal in ISL so far. We were thinking game by game, training by training. Now we are standing at a point where we have to think about the Derby only, and we have to win the Derby too. So we are now very much focused on winning the Derby and giving our best on the field.”

“It is not about a draw or a negative style of playing the game. It is a do-or-die as you guys refer it to as, I would say we have to play smartly and will always love to win this match. I think other than Mohun Bagan and us, also seven different teams in the table are fighting for the second spot too, as it gives you a place in the AFC. So, we always think about winning the match rather than settling for a draw.”

“I think it will be a game where a fight between the 11 vs 11 players will define the result. It is not about only midfield but about all the players. Yes, in a derby we have to give some extra effort. And we are only focusing on our team, our strengths, to win this match.”

“Yes of course the result of the derby, will define the title race, a draw might take it to the final match, but whoever wins the derby will have all the advantage”, he finished off with.

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