Mumbai City deserve to be in this position, claims Odisha FC coach Sergio Lobera

Sergio Lobera believes Odisha FC can perform better in the playoffs to clinch the ISL title.

Odisha FC faced a defeat against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday. The Indian Super League 2023-24 match which started with both the teams finding the net in the first half of play, ended with Mumbai scoring two goals in reply to Odisha’s one goal in the match. 

While Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Lallianzuala Chhangte scored one goal each in the match for Mumbai, Diego Mauricio remained the only player of Odisha who gave them some hope in the match with a goal in the 25th minute. 

The post-match press conference was attended by Odisha FC’s head coach Sergio Lobera, who replied to queries from the media. 

Not a disappointing match

Sergio Lobera looked quite happy with the performances of his players and was not disappointed with their performance. 

He said, “I cannot use the word disappointing, because I have seen my players fighting till the end and they have been doing this all the season. I am very proud of them. Sometimes you need to analyze what you get, and sometimes what you deserve. My players have been going through an amazing season. They have performed brilliantly in all three competitions. Today was also a big game and they kept on fighting till the end.” 

“I think we had a good first half, but in the second half, after conceding the second goal, it became difficult for us to manage the situation. We also had our chances in the middle. Maybe we were not dominating with the ball but we had the possession with us. I would say, this session is a big success for us,” Sergio added.   

Mumbai City FC are doing well

The tactician also lauded Mumbai City FC for their performance this season. “Mumbai City have been amazing in this campaign, mostly after some tactical changes in mid-season. They deserve to be in this position. Let’s see what happens further as the competition is at an amazing position at the moment,” Lobera exclaimed.

Second goal affected the team 

Although Odisha found an equalizer after conceding the first goal, they struggled to score again after Mumbai’s second. Sergio Lobera stated, “I think conceding the second goal affected our game. We had to put more focus on it to answer the question. I would also say that we deserved something more.”

Going for the trophy

After losing the chance of grabbing the ISL Shield, Odisha FC next target will be to grab the ISL Trophy at the end of the tournament. 

“It’s not finished yet. We are going to fight for the trophy. We just need to prepare well for the playoffs and see what happens next,” the Spaniard stated. 

“The key factor for us is that we are playing attacking football at the moment. We are scoring goals and also have a lot of clean-sheets to our name. This is the reason for having a good season so far. Yes, we can improve and we shall always work to improve further.

“But in big games, in difficult situations, the team has shown character and the important thing is that they have shown a winning mentality. Now, we just need to work for the remaining games until the end of the season and try to bring in the trophy for our supporters because they deserve to have their dream come true,” the Spaniard added. 

Trip down memory lane for Lobera 

When a question was asked about Sergio Lobera’s feelings of returning to the Mumbai Football Arena and seeing the fans, the manager replied, “To be honest, it was a very special moment for me because I have won two trophies in one season with the club.

“It was also a very difficult phase for us as we were living in a bio-bubble in those days. So, I didn’t have the opportunity to interact with the fans. May be nobody else might remember those two trophies but it’s very special for me,” he concluded.

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