Kolkata: Odisha FC will look to prove that they are no pushovers when they take on heavyweights ATK Mohun Bagan in their maiden play-off appearance in the Indian Super League here on Saturday.
This is Mariners’ third season in the ISL and they have qualified for the play-offs each time.
For the Juggernauts, this is new territory and they will need a first-ever win against ATKMB to secure a semi-final spot.
Odisha FC lost their four-match unbeaten streak going down to Jamshedpur FC in their last league match.
Before the defeat, the Juggernauts drew two and won the other two and had ended a five-game winless run away from home defeating NorthEast United FC in Guwahati.
The Juggernauts will rely on their Brazilian star striker Diego Mauricio who has scored 12 goals this season and has his eyes set on the Golden Boot.
“It is an important game because, in the knockout stage, only a win will bring us to the next level. We are ready and well-prepared for this encounter. All players are fit and available for this match which is very good news,” said Gombau.
“Every game is different. We faced them (ATKMB) twice in the league, drawing one and losing the other. Now it is time to win,” he added.
ATKMB had to overcome hurdles until the very end this season but recovered well to make the play-offs.
In the last five games, ATKMB won only two games, but those wins handed the Mariners a third-placed finish.
Both victories came in the final two fixtures of the league after Juan Ferrando’s men went three games without a win for the first time this season.
Morale will be high after both of those wins, with one of them coming against Kerala Blasters FC, and in a high-intensity Kolkata derby game that kept their perfect record intact.
Dimitri Petratos has scored nine goals and assisted seven so far, and will be eager to add to his tally against Odisha FC.
“Our plan is the same. Of course, this is a different type of match, but we will continue with the same plan we had in place all season. It is not necessary to change because sometimes too many changes are bad for the team,” said Ferrando.
“We only have to work on the details, and that will be important because Odisha this season have been good at many things,” he added.
