ISL 2019-20 | Odisha are going to fight us for possession, states Carles Cuadrat

ISL 2019-20 | Odisha are going to fight us for possession, states Carles Cuadrat

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Bengaluru FC head coach Carles Cuadrat has stated that Odisha are going to fight Bengaluru for possession of the ball and predicted that it will be an interesting game at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune on Wednesday. Spanish defender Albert Serran shared about his experience in India so far.

Champions Bengaluru FC will travel to Pune to face Odisha FC at the Balewadi Stadium on Wednesday. Unbeaten Bengaluru FC are currently third on the table with ten points and if they secure the match they will move on to the top position. The Blues are coming after a disappointing draw to Hyderabad FC 1-1. After staying top for almost 90 minutes, the Blues conceded an injury-time goal from Robin Singh to lose the two points.

Bengaluru FC head coach Carles Cuadrat was in full praise of his Spanish counterpart Josep Gombau. The coach also stated that Odisha will fight for the possession of the ball.

“Josep is a hard-working coach who likes to play attacking football and possession-based game. I think in the match, Odisha are going to fight against us for possession of the ball, and it's going to be an interesting game. He is doing good things for football in India. I have a nice relationship with him,” Carles Cuadrat told reporters at the pre-match press conference, ISL website reported.

The Spanish coach then analysed Odisha’s tactics and admitted that it will be a big challenge to stop Odisha’s Spanish duo Aridane Santana and Xisco  Hernandez.

“Odisha use the ball to try to make the game go in their favour. They try to move the ball around and take advantage of the quality of their foreigners. We have to try and set a plan for that. Until now we are happy with the defence. We have only conceded two goals, so I think we've defended well against the likes of Marcelo Pereira, Asamoah Gyan, Bartholomew Ogbeche and other very good players. Now against Xisco and Aridane, it will be a big challenge and we will have to plan the game accordingly. Every game is a challenge. Every team gives you different types of challenges. I am delighted that I get the opportunity to solve different problems,” Cuadrat opined.

Bengaluru are unbeaten this season and their key players are back in the squad after injuries. And the coach went on to hail his well-balanced team.

“I think we are a very well-balanced team. We have players who can play in different positions. It helps us to be versatile on the pitch. Any coach will want to take full advantage of all the players available to him. If you have all players available to you, you can put out your best XI and play the way you want to, but this season, till now, we haven’t had the opportunity.” the 50-year-old further added.

The Spanish manager also went on to share his thoughts on the various footballing styles employed by the different teams and coaches.  “In football, we don't have to get confused about the style. At the end of the day, it's about winning. You have to be competitive. With the players that you have, you should make the best plan to win the game. It depends on the objectives and having the right players to achieve that.” Cuadrat concluded.

Spanish defender Albert Serran was also present with Carles Cuadrat for the press conference, who missed many matches at the start of the season. The veteran defender shared his experience in India so far.

“I was able to gel well with the team last season, and my point of view of the league is that it is an interesting one for the foreign players. It's an attractive league and it's well planned and well organized for the players. This season, we've started differently in terms of results, but we are playing the same type of football.”

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