"This is like a final for us, not just a semi-final" - Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas has said the upcoming 2023-24 ISL semifinal second leg fixture is like a final for his team, given the magnitude and significance of the clash. The Mariners will be up against Odisha FC at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday, April 28, for a place in the summit clash, which is all set to be played on May 4.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Habas highlighted the importance of approaching the all-important home game sans overconfidence. Reiterating that Mohun Bagan Super Giant's target is to give their best and come up with a win on Sunday evening, the 66-year-old gaffer said (via Khel Now):

"There is no overconfidence in my team. It’s my job to ensure that my players don’t have any sib of overconfidence. We are losing the match by a goal and we need to win to get into the final. It’s impossible to have any sign of overconfidence. Our target is to play 100% with an idea to win. We don’t have any other solution than to play for a win. This is like a final for us, not just a semi-final."

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"Odisha FC have experienced players with the possibility to win the league" - Antonio Lopez Habas

Despite opening the scoring in the third minute of the first leg semifinal against the Kalinga Warriors in Bhubaneswar, courtesy of Manvir Singh's strike, Mohun Bagan Super Giant squandered the lead. While Carlos Delgado pulled one back just eight minutes after Manvir's goal to equalize, talisman Roy Krishna's 39th-minute goal sealed it for Odisha FC who won by a 2-1 margin.

Sergio Lobera's men will enter the second leg against Mohun Bagan Super Giant with a vital one-goal advantage. Heaping praise on the opponents and their bossman, Antonio Lopez Habas admitted that logically, it won't be easy for his team to overcome the Odisha challenge.

"Lobera is a good coach. He has very good consistency. I am the most experienced coach and have started from 2014, but Lobera is second behind me in the table for most number of matches managed. Odisha have experienced players with the possibility to win the league. Logically, it won’t be easy. We need to prepare for the team because it won’t be easy," Habas said.

Reflecting on Mohun Bagan Super Giant's semifinal first-leg loss against Odisha FC, the Spaniard said the players needed to give their 100% in the second leg.

"When you lose one match, you have to analyze the result and get the solutions to not repeat errors. I think maybe the team were not 100% in that match. But most important thing for me was to win the ISL league stages. After you do that, it’s human for some players to relax and when you do that, the opponent knows. We have an idea to compete at our 100% tomorrow," he added.

Having already won the 2023-24 ISL League Winners' Shield, Mohun Bagan Super Giant will be looking to achieve a historic league double by winning this season's Cup trophy. But for that to become a reality, they will have to overcome Odisha FC at home.