ISL 2025-26: Sergio Lobera sets tone for ISL in his first press conference as Mohun Bagan SG boss

Lobera calls Mohun Bagan the best side in Indian football

Mohun Bagan SG is ready to kick off a new era in the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign as they start their tenure under the guidance of Sergio Lobera. The Spaniard replaced Jose Molina midway through the ongoing campaign and will now look to guide another ISL team to success after his successful periods with FC Goa and Mumbai City in the past.

Talking to the media in his first-ever press conference since taking over the Mohun Bagan SG job, Lobera was questioned about how he feels about coaching a team that has won two ISL league shield championships over the last few years.

Sergio Lobera replied, “I know perfectly well where I am. I’m at a winning club, who have done an amazing job in the past few years. I’m here to try to help this club continuously win trophies, which we need to do.”

“It’s amazing to come to a club where the target is to win trophies, which means you have the tools to achieve it. In some other clubs, they ask you to win but you don’t have the same tools as you do at Mohun Bagan. I’m at a winning team, and I have the responsibility to continue winning and hopefully we can get more trophies this season,” he further added.

Mohun Bagan SG’s preparation & issues surrounding this season

When asked about how prepared his Mohun Bagan SG squad is for the start of the 2025-26 ISL campaign, Lobera admitted that Indian football has gone through a difficult period in recent times. However, he emphasized the sense of excitement within the squad as the new campaign draws closer. With the season finally set to get underway, the focus, he explained, is firmly on the opening match and starting afresh after a long break.

Sergio Lobera said, “I know there were many problems and difficult times for Indian football, but now we’re close to starting the season and are very excited about this. The focus is for the first game, because as professionals we are preparing the team and are in a fresh sesason after a long time.

Lobera added that the team is approaching the season with a professional mindset, using the build-up period to prepare thoroughly and reset expectations. For Mohun Bagan SG, the emphasis is on laying a strong foundation from the very first game as they look ahead to a demanding ISL campaign.

“Handling the situation with players without any competitions is not easy, but now we are excited to be able to compete. We are lucky as we’ve prepared well for the season, we have time and the squad. The only thing we can improve is the level of friendly games; we need opponents to test us in a better way. We are here to compete well for the competition ahead,” he further quipped.

The Mariners will only be playing 13 matches in the upcoming ISL season, which means the competitiveness to win the title is even tighter than usual. Lobera acknowledged that the margin for error is tight, but insists that a one-at-a-time approach is ideal to help his side get wins,

Sergio Lobera stated that, “This is going to be a shorter competition than before and the margin for mistakes is less, as you have less games and you don’t have long wait to do mistakes and recover in situations.”

“But we’re in the same situation as all clubs and we need to manage the situation and know every game is very important for us. We need to focus in the first one, it’ll be a mistake to think about where we’ll be at the end of the season. Now, we need to focus on preparing for the first game and then think about the second one after that. The margin of mistakes is less this time around. We need to take care about this, but that is for all the teams. It’s a different type of competition, but we have enough time to show if we’re the best team or not,” he further added.

Is Lobera under immense pressure to succeed at Mohun Bagan SG?

When asked about the pressure of delivering success at a club like Mohun Bagan SG, head coach Sergio Lobera was clear in his perspective, describing the Mariners as the biggest club in Indian football. He explained that the stature of Mohun Bagan SG can be felt the moment one arrives in India, comparing its presence and expectations to giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain.

He stated, “We are the best club in India. When you reach India, you can feel what Mohun Bagan SG means in India. It’s similar to Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, using the comparisons. When it comes to pressure, I love this kind of pressure. When you have this pressure, it means you’re working at a big club with big fanbase and expectations, and that is amazing. We are privileged people to work in our hobby and in the sport, we love, and we are lucky to make the people happy.”

“Pressure in life is something you need to see how the world is at the moment. Pressure is going to one hospital. Pressure is when you don’t get a salary to get money for food. Pressure is all the war in the world at the moment. When we are enjoying our job, the people who are watching us can enjoy with us. The main target is to make people happy, and that means to win games and win trophies,” he futher added.

Read more: ISL 2025-26: Mohun Bagan SG complete squad for upcoming season ft. Jason Cummings, Apuia & more

Kolkata Derby’s importance and fitness of Mohun Bagan SG’s squad

Speaking about the Kolkata derby against East Bengal, Sergio Lobera admitted that it is far more than just another fixture on the calendar. While it may be easy for a coach to downplay it as a routine match, he acknowledged the immense significance the derby holds for the fans and the emotions attached to winning it.

“As a coach, it’ll be easy to tell you it’s just another game but that’s not true. Everyone knows how important winning this game is for the fans. When you win a trophy, it’s most happy for the people. We are not going to play against them for a long time, but it’s a special game and I know what it is to win a game like this and hopefully we can win both the derby and the ISL trophy!”, said Lobera.

When questioned about the overall fitness of his squad, the head coach stressed that the focus is firmly on the present and the work done during pre-season. He pointed out that the team has benefited from nearly two months of preparation, which has given him more time to work with the players than he has had at some of his previous clubs.

“The past is past and I’ve had enough time to prepare the team in pre-season with two months, that is more than what I’ve gotten with other team. The players are willing and hungry, and they are ready to ready to prove themselves. When you lose one trophy, you can look to win another trophy. The players are ready to show everyone that they are a winning team.”

AFC ban for Mohun Bagan SG and Sergio Lobera’s footballing philosophy

When asked whether the club’s two-season ban from AFC competitions could affect player motivation, Sergio Lobera dismissed the idea, insisting that Mohun Bagan’s drive remains unchanged. He stressed that the primary motivation for the squad is winning trophies, which he believes is the true marker of progress and growth for the club.

“No, the motivation is to win trophies. That is the most important motivation. Our target is to win trophies, which can allow us to grow as a club. Our focus doesn’t change in these situations and we can win trophies to help us grow in the ISL.”

Finally, speaking about his footballing philosophy and the influences that have shaped him as a coach, Sergio Lobera explained that he draws inspiration from many managers rather than just one. He believes every coach has strengths to learn from but stressed that personality and clarity of ideas are the most important elements in building a successful team.

Sergio Lobera on his coaching philosophy, “A lot of coaches are those who I can learn from. Every coach has their good things, but the most important thing is a personality. My education at Barcelona was in working them for eight years and I could choose the club where I could work, I had multiple offers to take up different jobs till now. When I go into a club, I always think about winning trophies by playing attacking football and my target is to ensure fans can enjoy 90 minutes when they’re coming to the stadium, not just when we are winning.”

“I know Pep Guardiola very well and I learn from him. I worked with him at City Football Group and when I was at Barcelona, he came to give a coaching lesson when I was working with their U18 team and he deserves praise for his work done in the Premier League,” Sergio Lobera concluded.

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