Mumbai City riding high on comeback spirit ahead of ISL final against Mohun Bagan: MCFC head coach Petr Kratky

Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky said that his team will look to ride on its newly-found confidence to try and beat Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the Indian Super League (ISL) final at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

The Islanders last played Mohun Bagan in the ISL Shield decider at the same venue – Salt Lake Stadium – on April 15, where goals from Jason Cummings and Liston Colaco helped the host clinch its maiden Shield.

“We knew what was at stake and unfortunately, we lost the game. It’s always for a team. So, we tried to regroup,” Kratky told reporters on the eve of the match.

“It( the drop in morale) was evident in the next few training sessions but the first leg against FC Goa helped to revive our spirits and we are in a good state of mind to continue,” he said.

While Mumbai City leads the head-to-head record (six wins of 11 games), Mohun Bagan has had the last laugh in both decisive clashes this season. Both have been played at Mohun Bagan’s home, which had nearly 62,000 fans in attendance in their previous clash.

When asked about the pressure to perform in front of partisan fans, Kratky said, “I don’t think it’s extra pressure (to play against Mohun Bagan in its home). I think it is extra motivation to do well. That’s why we play football.”

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Mumbai City will miss the services of midfielder Yoell Van Nieff, who is suspended after getting a yellow card against FC Goa in the semifinal second leg, and full-back Akash Mishra, who is out with an injury.

Kratky said that the team has strategised its plans accordingly and will look to amend the errors made in the Shield decider.

“The scenario will be a bit different because it is a final but we have learnt from our previous game. We started a bit differently and that caught us in the end. (This time) we come here to start our game from the very first minute and try to win the game, in 90 minutes or longer,” he said.

Kolkata has had soaring temperatures, around 40 degrees Celsius, over the past week and that might affect the intensity of the game.

“Yeah, it is hot outside. But it is what it is. And it is hot for both teams. Same occasion and the same challenge for both teams. We just have to make sure that we stick to our game plan,” Kratky added.