ISL 2023-24: We will be ready to turn things around – Manolo Marquez ahead of the second-leg semifinal against Mumbai City FC

FC Goa’s head coach Manolo Marquez said his team will be ready to turn things around in the second-leg semifinal against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai in the ongoing Indian Super League on Monday.

The Gaurs lost the first-leg semifinal by 3-2 and they will be determined to bounce back against the Islanders. Marquez team was leading comfortably by 2-0 before Lallianzuala Chhangte scored a brace and Vikram Partap Singh also found the back of the net in the fag end of the game.

“We played a very good game. Everyone that speaks about the substitutions is people that are not involved in football, and they don’t have no idea about football,” stated Marquez in the pre-match press conference.

Explaining the situation inside the dressing room, the Spaniard added, “The training session was in the morning. The mood was still bad. A lot of players couldn’t sleep. Even the staff, obviously. Normal situation. But when we are now, two days later, three days later, when the game is on Monday, we will be ready. We will be ready to play. And I know that we will try to win, to turn the situation around and we show that we can do it.”

The Spaniard added they need to build character within the team when they have their backs against the wall.

“I am from Barcelona and I love Carles Puyol, why? Carles Puyol, with the ball, was 1000 times worse than Brandon. Yes. But, when his team conceded one goal, this is the moment that you need to show leadership (like Puyol did),” he said.

He continued, “We need to improve in this aspect because character and mentality is very, very important.”

“There is a second leg and we have to fight and try to qualify because we know that we can do it, but we know that the opponent is a strong opponent,” he opined.

FC Goa will look to come up with a collective effort against Mumbai City FC.