Chennai City FC have a chance to win the I-League 2018-19 title on Saturday by beating the reigning champions Minerva Punjab FC at home.
Akbar Nawas’s side has remained the most consistent side right from the beginning of the league but a few slip-ups in the business end has dragged the title race to the very last day.
If East Bengal beat Gokulam Kerala in Kozhikode then Chennai will have no other option but to win their tie against Minerva.
Ahead of the match, coach Akbar Nawas said, “We have performed beyond expectations. We must credit the local players for that. You must see where they were six months ago and their development. We want to win every game. We are in a process and whatever happens tomorrow the process will continue. But we want the end result to favour us.”
Nawas agreed that the absence of Nestor Gordillo due to four yellow cards will be a big factor but his team is prepared to win. “Nestor is a very important player and we will miss him. But I am bringing 18 first 11 players tomorrow,” said the Singaporean.
The Chennai boss suggested that the team is definitely under pressure but they know how to handle it. He said, “There is pressure. You have to accept it. If I tell that I have told my players that go and enjoy the game then I am lying. But the thing is how we handle this pressure. If we are able to teach them that it will help them later on in life.”
Akbar Nawas is confident that East Bengal will beat Gokulam Kerala FC and hence his team must only focus on their game. He said, “East Bengal will beat Gokulam 100%. They will beat them 3-0 or 4-0. So I have told my players to not think about that match. Focus on your game.”
Minerva boss Sachin Badhade mentioned that his team will give their best to win the match. “We are going for three points. The pressure will not be on us but on CCFC as they have a title to win. We will be going for the win. We will play according to your strengths tomorrow. We want to end on the seventh spot,” said Badhade.
