Trophies don't make you play better or worse, says Juan Pedro Benali on ISL 2024-25 Media Day

Juan Pedro Benali also mentioned not to repeat the same mistakes from last year.

The 2024 Durand Cup is done and dusted and the focus will now shift to the all-important Indian Super League (ISL) season. NorthEast United FC made it to the headlines by achieving their first piece of silverware in the form of the Durand Cup against a star-studded and favorites Mohun Bagan side. The Highlanders pulled off the unthinkable by winning the ultimate game despite being 0-2 down at half-time. 

Juan Pedro Benali’s men silenced a jam-packed Salt Lake stadium by demolishing Mohun Bagan away from home. NorthEast United will be keen to carry forward the same intent and their high-confidence attitude into the ISL. Ahead of the upcoming season, Juan Pedro Benali addressed the media during the ISL media day in Kolkata.

Thoughts on the Durand Cup triumph

The head coach began by sharing his thoughts on his side’s Durand Cup win. He said that it took some time for the team to realize what they had done.

“It’s great, it’s not only for the trophy, happy for the fans, happy for the owners, happy for all the club, for the players. And it was now we started realizing what we did, you know. On the first and second day, we were in the cloud. And now we’re back to earth, thinking about ISL,” he asserted.

Thoughts ahead of the ISL opener

Benali also opened up about his side’s ISL opener against Kolkata giants Mohammedan SC and said that they are a really strong team and it won’t be easy to play against them. He also added that Mohammedan SC have performed well and have a very good squad.

“First of all, you know, trophies are past. It doesn’t make you play better or worse. You need to prepare your game as the last game of your life. For us, it’s very important to prepare for the game as that’s the only game existing in our lives.

“We don’t know what it will be after. I watched some games from last season. They performed very well. It’s a strong team with good Indian and foreign players, with good coaches, very important. It will not be easy, especially playing as a first game. They know us very well because they have seen many more games.

We need to forget the record. It’s another competition, another story. We’re still NorthEast, we need to have our feet on the floor and go for it. We don’t care if it’s played in Kolkata, in Guwahati, or anywhere. In the field, as I said before, it’s 11 v 11 plus referees,” he quipped.

Thoughts on John Abraham

While speaking about NorthEast United’s owner John Abraham, the Spaniard said that John is a passionate guy who does everything for the club. 

“John is a passionate guy. You can see him as a person, as a gentleman, as an owner. He’s part of the family. Of course, as I say, hunger comes with eating. The more you eat, the more you’re hungry. In the beginning it was, let’s go to sea.

“Now, let’s go to win. It’s a different setup, a different way to look at it. And of course, we will do our best to go for it. As I told you, game by game, I told him the same thing. John, the most important thing is the next game,” he revealed.

Last season

The head coach also reflected upon the season gone by and said that his team missed many points in many games last season and not just in the game against Chennaiyin FC.

“Time puts anyone in his place. And last season, time put us in our place. We missed many games, and many points. You know, I don’t want to tell you the games, I don’t want you to recall them. You know, someone says, you missed the playoff, losing against Chennaiyin FC. That was not true. We missed it, many games before. We have a young team who’s learning, and we learn, as I said before, we learn by slaps, by hitting.”

He further added that he is hopeful that this season his team won’t repeat the same mistakes and will be focused on their goal.

“And we hope this season we don’t make the same mistake. This is why we don’t want to put pressure on us. We don’t want to put pressure on the players. Yeah, it gives us confidence to win the Durand Cup. It gives us that thinking that we are going in the right way, but at the same time, don’t forget the swaps you got last season. Keep focus, and don’t lose points on stupid things.

“Just because you think you’re better than the other team. There is no better. We are NorthEast, we know who we are, and we need to focus on that,” Juan Pedro Benali concluded.

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