ISL 2018-19: Jorge Costa - Mumbai City had a lower budget compared to others

Mumbai City ended their 2018-19 Indian Super League (ISL) season with a 1-0 win that was in vain. FC Goa had already done the damage in the first leg of their semi-final by winning 5-1 and it was the Gaurs who progressed to the final.

Jorge Costa was a content man seeing his team hold their heads high despite defeat. "I think we made a very good game tonight. It was not easy for us after the first game without much time to recover, not physical but mental. 

"I am very proud to be the head coach of this team and to have worked with his players for the season. It was very important to clean our image after the first game and ended the season with some dignity.

"I told it was almost impossible to change the result after the first came and I meant it, I was not making mind games. We won but we will not in the final. But after losing 5-1, the boys did a good job. 

"We had a good season and I am sad that we are not going to play in the final. I wanted to play once more at home to see if we had this capacity but football is like this. We made mistakes and we have learn the lesson," he said.

Beating a strong Goa side in their own backyard gave Costa further joy. He commented, "I am happy to see that FC Goa respected us, they played with their first XI, only one change. If we had made it 2-0, you never know. We did our best."

Jorge Costa highlighted the lack of financial muscle at the club as a factor that restricted his freedom in the transfer market. Mumbai were silent in the January transfer window. "Our club doesn't have the budgets like other teams have. With a new coach, new players, it was difficult for me in the beginning to understand this reality. We made a process and we also had a very long unbeaten run and we played the semi-finals.

"In the winter transfer window when I saw other clubs making movements, I could not make them here. I felt we needed something extra to attack in the last few games but we could not do it. I am very happy but I am also sad because I wanted to play the final at home on Sunday."

Finally, Costa promised he would come back next season with renewed hunger, "I was positively surprised about the league's quality and technically as well. People want to do good things here.

"If I was not impressed I would have packed my bags and gone home or to another country to coach. But I am coming back because I am taken care of very well by the good people in the club."