Hope we can replicate what we did against Kerala, says East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat

Carles Cuadrat also spoke highly about Naorem Mahesh Singh, who scored a brace in the previous outing.

East Bengal are hoping to keep their Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs charge alive when they host Bengaluru FC at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Sunday (April 7).

Cuadrat proud of East Bengal’s fight for playoffs spot

Head coach Carles Cuadrat is proud of how East Bengal have performed this season and remarked before the game, saying: “I understand that we’re facing my former team. We don’t have time for a lot of preparations as we’re playing every three days. But we’re in the 21st round and we’re fighting for the playoffs, which is the most important thing. It’s our fourth season in the ISL and the first time we’ve arrived in the last rounds of the competition and fighting for the playoffs.

“That is very important for the people in the club, because it’s kind of a reward finally. After a few seasons when the team couldn’t fight for anything… but in this season we can fight for titles and a place in the playoffs. It’s nice that we’ve been having our best home seasons in the last four seasons, scoring more goals and conceding fewer goals too. We are creating something for the future and are working to bring new players to the club in the future. I’m optimistic about the season and what we can achieve in the upcoming months,” he added.

East Bengal looking for revenge?

When asked if he’s gunning for revenge against his former side after losing the reverse fixture in October, Cuadrat answered: “No, we’re not looking for revenge. Both teams are fighting for a place in the playoffs. So both teams will treat it as a final. We need to be effective. We had a difficult game against Kerala, but the players took good decisions in the game and got the result. I hope we can replicate what we did against Kerala.”

East Bengal squad fully motivated for games ahead

The Spaniard insisted that his players are fully motivated for the games ahead. He explained: “The players are motivated. We had a nice pre-match talk before the last game, where I expressed what we needed and the tactical things we needed because I wasn’t on the pitch. They gave everything on the pitch and it didn’t matter whether I wasn’t on the bench or not. They knew how important that win was for the club.

“Tomorrow, they’ll be 100% motivated because they know that after all the things we’ve fought for, it’ll be a nice finish if we get that sixth position. But a lot of teams are fighting for that, so we need to be focused in the game and bring the good things that is needed to defeat a good team like Bengaluru who have a lot of top players,” he added.

Praise for Naorem Mahesh Singh

Finally, Carles Cuadrat reserved praise for Naorem Mahesh Singh – who scored a brace in the last game. He stated: “Mahesh is a talented player and we’re very happy with him as he can give something different to the team. He has played as a No.10 and did very well in that position. For example, in the 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan, I felt he had his best game in that position.

“The performances can differ if he’s playing centrally or outside in the wing. Against Kerala, he played against a team with fewer players so it was easier for him to get into the box from the winger position and score. I talk a lot with him, but we don’t have to point special attention to Mahesh. He’s doing his job and we trust that he can perform well in the next stages of the competition,” he finished with.

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