"ATK Mohun Bagan is a huge club"- Chennaiyin FC head coach on facing Mariners in their ISL 2022-23 season opener

The two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC will begin their 2022-23 campaign against ATK Mohun Bagan in Kolkata on October 10, 2020. The Marina Machans, who had two back-to-back disappointing campaigns, will look to start the new season with a win against the home team.

Head coach Thomas Brdaric and midfielder Julius Ducker attended the pre-match press conference ahead of the side's game against the Green and Maroon Brigade. Shedding light on the game against the Mariners, the German head coach said:

"ATK Mohun Bagan is a huge club. Playing the first game of the season against them is something special."

Brdaric added that his team have had a long time to prepare themselves and are hungry and excited to take on Juan Ferrando's men.

The German also spoke about the impact of having the fans back at the stadium. He expects a huge turnout for their first game.

"We are working very hard to play in front of spectators and I am very curious about the atmosphere tomorrow. I am very excited about the attendance tomorrow. I like to play in front of fans. The players need to enjoy the atmosphere alongside putting in the hard work."

German midfielder Julius Ducker has managed to strike a partnership with skipper Anirudh Thapa and the duo will play a vital role in Chennaiyin FC's season ahead. Ducker shared his views on the game and how the team are prepared to take on the challenges ahead of them.

"We want to start our season well. I think that is the most important thing. We've trained very hard but I think we are prepared to take on the challenges. The start is very important so we are motivated for tomorrow."

"I like offensive football"- Chennaiyin FC head coach on his footballing philosophy

Chennaiyin FC head coach informed the media about how he envisions his team to play. Shedding light on his preferred brand of football, Brdaric said:

"I like offensive football. I like to score but we also need to understand how to defend. Both these aspects are important in football."

Brdaric added that it is difficult to figure out an opponent's weakness at the highest level of the game. However, he further added that capitalizing on the opposition's errors could prove to be vital for his team.