"We have nothing to lose against Mumbai City" - NorthEast United coach Juan Pedro Benali ahead of trip to the city of dreams | ISL 2023-24

NorthEast United FC, who travel to take on Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai on Tuesday (March 12) in the Indian Super League, know that they have a big task on their hands.

Speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Juan Pedro Benali said that although playing against the Islanders will not be easy, his wards will be looking to enjoy themselves.

"We are pushing for better results; the objective is clear, you know. Every day, we try to perform and do new things. Mumbai City are a strong team, a team who are pushing for the championship," said Benali.

"Sometimes, the results don't come our way but that doesn't mean that we are not working hard. We are not looking at anything else; just Mumbai. We have nothing to lose against Mumbai City. Let's enjoy the last four games of the season," he added.

When asked if his team is focusing on the race for the sixth spot in the ISL table, which is wide open given that six teams - Bengaluru FC, East Bengal, Jamshedpur FC, Punjab FC, Chennaiyin FC and the Highlanders themselves - Benali answered in the negative.

"I am not looking at that (the sixth spot in the playoff race.) I am only looking at Mumbai City now. Slowly, we are trying to achieve and reach where we want to. There is a lot of hunger in the side, and that is what we are trying to achieve," said Benali.

"They are a rich team who have some top players. But we are not going there for a holiday and will try to make it as difficult as possible for them. We have to enjoy our game. We will try to make it historical because this game will not come back again, and as I said, enjoy what we are going to do," he continued.

"If you think your team is better than Hyderabad FC, then you will receive a tight slap" - Juan Pedro Benali

Although Benali refused to be drawn into the question of whether his side can make it to the sixth spot and eventually gain qualification into the playoffs of the ISL, he spoke at length about the miracle result on Saturday.

Hyderabad FC - sporting an all-Indian playing and support staff - pulled off a historical win over Chennaiyin FC at the Marina Arena in Chennai, picking up their first clean sheet and three points of the season.

Benali harked back to the time when his team were kept to a draw against the Nawabs in Hyderabad on Monday, 4 March. Leading 2-0, the Highlanders were treated with diffidence by the Yellow and Black, who pulled back two quick goals to level things.

"When people told us that playing against Hyderabad FC is easy, I told them to look at the way they played against Bengaluru FC, East Bengal and Punjab FC. They have young players who are running all over the pitch. When your players run all over the pitch throughout the game, a result is coming soon," said Benali.

"It happened to Chennaiyin, and it happened to us. And don't think any team is better than them. If you think your team is better than Hyderabad (because they have no foreigners), then you will receive a tight slap," he concluded.