"Thinking about the pressures will only cost us our energy"- ATK Mohun Bagan head coach ahead of the ISL 2022-23 season opener against Chennaiyin FC

ATK Mohun Bagan will kick-start their Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season against Chennaiyin FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The Mariners have had a disastrous start to their 2022-23 campaign and will be looking to make amends in the ISL.

Head coach Juan Ferrando and defender Brendan Hamill attended the pre-match press conference, answering questions pertaining to their season opener against Chennaiyin FC. The Spaniard is hesitant at shifting his focus to elements that do not concern football. He said:

"Thinking about the pressures will only cost us our energy. We trust in our plans and in ourselves. We have some very good players. I don't feel pressured because I have trust in this team. Pressure comes when you don't trust your team."

Ferrando underlined his team's ambitions going into their first match of ISL 2022-23. He said:

"It's a new challenge and a new target. Tomorrow, we start a new competition. We have 20 matches ahead of us. Our dream is to make it to the playoffs, but for now, it is important to focus on the first match."

"All the matches are going to be difficult" - ATK Mohun Bagan head coach on the season ahead

ATK Mohun Bagan's head coach understands the level of competition in the ISL. He feels that it is essential for his team to try and implement the ideas on which they have worked so far.

"All the matches are going to be difficult. It's not just our mentality but also our goal to improve every day as a team. We'll try to play good football, try to look for spaces to exploit and I hope we will have more opportunities in front of the goal."

The ATK Mohun Bagan gaffer has emphasized that he intends to focus on his entire squad rather than a select few. He believes that football is a team sport and results can only be derived from working together as a unit.