'We and Mohun Bagan are favourites for the I-league title, but it's still open': Mahmoud Al Amna

The former Sporting Clube de Goa and Aizawl FC midfielder is one of the first names on the team sheet and knows what takes to lift the I-league trophy.

The Syrian Midfielder who knows a thing or two about passing the ball and controlling the game from midfield expressed ‘pressure is good’ before tussling with Chennai City FC at the refurbished Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore on 22nd December 2017.

Incidentally, the hosts have come back to their winning ways in their recent outing against the Red Machines after going through an insipid 4-match winless run.

“See, the pressure is good. If you don’t have pressure, you won’t feel to push yourself to attain the next level. Before coming to Kolkata, I was in Goa, Aizawl. The atmosphere was different, but mostly the pressure and demand was less”, the astute midfielder said.

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“Supporters are demanding, they always want you to win. The pressure is always there, be it the local league match or the I-League- they always throng the stadium in your support”, the 34-year old stated 2 days prior taking on the South Indian outfit at their backyard.

Meanwhile, he feels that the I-League is evenly poised now and every team have the potential to go for the glory.

“I know, we and Mohun Bagan are favourites to win the league but trust me, it’s anyone’s and everyone’s league. Last season, no one expected Aizawl FC to win it but we did accomplish the job. There’s absolutely no difference this season too”, Amna who has a steller more-than-80% passing accuracy in the ongoing Hero I-League season exuded.

Meanwhile, the Syrian playmaker played a pivotal role in the recently-played Kolkata Derby but his efforts went in vain but the soft-spoken person feels it’s natural in Football.

“If we lose, it never decides whether we played a bad game or a decent one. Yes, we know the result is what we crave for but very often it happens with every team in the world.”

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“Sometimes I have a good game but the team doesn’t get the result, sometimes it happens otherwise. Yesterday might be just one bad day in the office and you never know, next day can be yours”, Amna sounded upbeat before leaving the practice pitch.

Kingfisher East Bengal will take on Chennai City FC at the Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore on 22nd December and the kick-off is scheduled at 05:30 PM.