Habas wants to put the Durand Cup behind him and focus on the Shield final.
It is derby time again on Friday as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal prepare to face each other in the IFA Shield final. East Bengal are enjoying a superb run of form, while Mohun Bagan have also looked well prepared in recent matches, setting the stage for another fiercely contested Kolkata derby.
XtraTime Web Desk
It is derby time again on Thursday as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal prepare to face each other in the IFA Shield final. East Bengal are enjoying a superb run of form, while Mohun Bagan have also looked well prepared in recent matches, setting the stage for another fiercely contested Kolkata derby.
East Bengal had defeated Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup final to lift the trophy, but head coach Antonio Lopez Habas does not want his team to dwell on that result.
The Spanish coach stressed that the Durand Cup and IFA Shield are two completely different tournaments and that his focus is firmly on Friday’s final.
“The Durand Cup and the Shield are different tournaments. This is a very important match. I respect the opposition 100 per cent,” Habas said.
Habas also admitted that preparing specifically for the Shield final has not been easy because of the international commitments of several players. India recently played Brazil, Uruguay and Panama, while the players had to return to club duty soon after.
“It is difficult to focus on the Shield before the AFC matches. Many players were busy with the national team. The next match is just two days later. I will try to field the best XI. I will speak to everyone, understand their condition and then decide the starting eleven,” the East Bengal coach explained.
Habas also believes his foreign players have a good understanding of the Indian players and their qualities. Some of them had been thinking about the recent international fixtures, but the derby presents a completely different challenge.
“They are ready for this match. The foreign players also know the Indian players. Some of them were thinking about the Brazil, Uruguay and Panama matches, but this is a different kind of game,” he said.
For Habas, however, one factor will remain non-negotiable in the derby — discipline.
With the IFA Shield trophy at stake and bragging rights on the line, the Spanish coach knows that maintaining discipline could prove crucial in deciding the outcome of another high-voltage Kolkata derby.
