ISL 2020-21 playoffs: Habas confirms ATK Mohun Bagan under no pressure against NorthEast United FC

By Team Newsable | First Published Mar 9, 2021, 12:54 PM IST

ATK Mohun Bagan finished second in the 2020-21 Indian Super League table. It is playing its debut season in the ISL. While ATK was the defending champion, it merged with I-League champion Mohun Bagan, whereas the side was held 1-1 by NorthEast United FC in semis first leg.

ATK Mohun Bagan is one of the favourites in the Indian Super League 2020-21. It aims to tame NorthEast United FC in the second leg of the semis at the Fatorda Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

The sides were held to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg, as both sides would be looking to clinch a result on Tuesday, with NEU being under pressure, playing in the semis for the first time. On the same note, ATKMB boss Antonio Lopez Habas has stated that while there is no pressure on his side, it needs to be 'tactically disciplined' against NEU.

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"No pressure. The players and staff have to see this opportunity as a big one, maybe one that will not come again. So, we have to enjoy the semi-final and the final. We have to keep our personality and be tactically disciplined," he told the media during the pre-match press conference.

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"The strategy is to keep calm, keep the intensity and weigh our moments to go to the final. We have to be more efficient. Strikers are not magicians. When we have possibilities, the opponent also has good players and a competitive team. In this situation, it all depends on the players," he added.

Habas also reckoned that the league positionings don't matter in the playoffs, as every team is equally dangerous. "In the semi-finals, there is not much difference between the teams because these are the best teams in the league. The difference could be minimal. Maybe, a small situation when a team commits a mistake. We have to keep our security and, after that, score goals. This has been our principle," he continued.

"There are different situations in matches. Players are also human, not machines. You can have one moment of miscommunication or, maybe, a bad tactical movement in defence, but I think it's the same for every team. The idea is to concede minimum chances for the opponent," he concluded.

Watch Habas's full presser here:

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