Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 28 : Bengaluru FC (BFC) head coach Gerard Zaragoza commended his team for their spirited performance in a hard-fought 1-0 loss against Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Monday.
Addressing the media in the post-match press conference, Zaragoza expressed pride in the team's display, emphasizing their quality and resilience despite the unfavourable outcome.
The difference-maker in the match was Liston Colaco, whose spectacular volley in the 74th minute secured victory for Mohun Bagan SG. Bengaluru FC came close to equalizing through Sunil Chhetri in the first half and Rahul Bheke in injury time, but the visitors were unable to convert their opportunities.
"Today, I think that we play amazing football. I think that we play European football. We have not watched too many games like this in ISL. We controlled everything. And we had a really, really good chance with Sunil, that normally he scores goals, but we did not score... I think that we were today's top team," he said, as quoted from ISL.
"We were the team that won six games in a row or five games in a row in September. And also in December, we did really good. The good thing is that January is over. The next match for us is now the 1st of February. It's time to change, it's time to think forward," he added
Despite the setback, Zaragoza remained optimistic about his team's future. Bengaluru FC find themselves in the third spot after their sixth defeat of the season while having won nine of their 18 games. He emphasized the importance of their playoff push and the need to maintain momentum.
He said, "I think that we need to play six games more. And we have four games from Mohun Bagan SG... We want to play again against them... This season, the first thing that we need to do is to enter the playoffs. The second thing is to try to arrive at the second position. And then, let's see."
The head coach emphasized that the team's goal-scoring burden is not solely on Sunil Chhetri, despite his pivotal role he has played this season. The Bengaluru FC forward is the team's top goalscorer this season with 11 goals in 18 games.
"It's not only Sunil, of course. All the teams depend on one striker who scores goals, and we are too happy to have Sunil," he said, as quoted from ISL.
"With the miss that he did today, he could have more than 15 goals... What he's doing this season is unbelievable. I'm too happy, too proud of him," he noted.
The Bengaluru FC head coach also praised the Mohun Bagan SG supporters for their passion and respect, "40,000 people. 40,000 people. The nice thing about Mohun Bagan SG people is that they love Sunil Chhetri and my players. They show us every time that we come here. They show respect to us."
Zaragoza also stressed the respect earned from the fans and acknowledged the challenge posed by the Mariners (MBSG), stating, "We win the respect of the people here. We win the mentality... I did not see too many teams playing like this against Mohun Bagan SG. They are tough. They are a strong team."
Looking forward, Bengaluru FC will take on Punjab FC on February 1 in New Delhi as they aim to strengthen their playoff chances.
Zaragoza concluded with confidence, stating, "This power, it's coming for the playoffs. Let's see if someone can stop us there."