"This is impossible in the World Cup, the Champions League, or any competition in the world" - Antonio Lopez Habas lashes out at the ISL

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas has lashed out at the ISL for its tight scheduling as his team will be playing their third match in a week when they host NorthEast United FC on Saturday, February 17.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Habas said:

"I feel that the ISL have to analyze their schedule. One club has a week to prepare for a match, while another club only has two days. This is impossible! This is impossible in the World Cup, the Champions League, or any competition in the world. You have to analyze the possibilities for the teams, it’s not logical that one team has a week and the other has three days to prepare. We have to think more about the professionals. The players are human beings after all! I’m only a coach, not the ISL president. But in my opinion, they have to analyze the scheduling situation going forward."

"We have the same target, which is to get the three points. Sometimes it’s possible but other times it’s not because the opponent also plays to win. We have to recover from the last match, because we are playing after three days. We had to travel to Goa for the match in humid conditions a few days ago and now we have to play again tomorrow. That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand it," he added.

Having begun the second leg of this edition of the ISL with the Kolkata derby against arch-rivals East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant faced Hyderabad FC a week later, before traveling to Fatorda for their clash against FC Goa on Wednesday, February 14.

"I like NorthEast, they have a good coach" - Antonio Lopez Habas

Heaping praise on NorthEast United FC, who are fresh from a home victory over East Bengal, Antonio Lopez Habas expressed his admiration for his Highlanders counterpart Juan Pedro Benali, stating:

"I like NorthEast, they have a good coach. He changed the formations of his team and they can play seamlessly with different systems. They make it difficult for opponents to counter-attack and have had a good result in the last match. They will be a difficult opponent to play against"

The defending ISL champion will also head into the fixture high on confidence after becoming the first team to inflict a loss on FC Goa this season. About the 1-0 away win over high-flying Manolo Marquez's men, Habas said:

"I’m very happy, mostly for my players. They have sacrificed a lot and are very good professionals. It was necessary for them to win, that has to be the mentality for everyone – not only in football but in life! You want to drive the players to win, because they are the anchor of the team and are the most important people in football."

Admitting the fact that Mohun Bagan aiming for the pole position at the end of this ISL season, the Spaniard asserted:

"We showed great intensity and a great desire to win, which is very important. The team wants to win the ISL Shield. We have to change the mentality that the game is more important than the overall situation of the competition. The players have to understand this. You have to be sensible in the match and show an apt attitude and discipline to win matches."

Mohun Bagan Super Giant currently have 26 points from 13 matches and trail league leaders Odisha FC by five points.

With nine matches remaining and given their current form, the Kolkata giants are well and truly in the race to clinch this season's League Winners' Shield.