Mohun Bagan Super Giant's head coach, Jose Molina, has voiced significant concerns regarding the demanding schedule his team faces in the upcoming weeks, which combines their commitments in the Indian Super League (ISL) with the AFC Champions League Two (ACL). The tightly packed fixture list poses a considerable challenge for the Green and Maroon brigade, who are expected to perform at their best in both competitions.
Starting with an away match against Bengaluru FC on September 28, Mohun Bagan will quickly transition to their ACL group stage match against Tractor FC in Tabriz, Iran, just days later on October 2. This schedule not only requires a rigorous travel itinerary but also demands that the players recover quickly between high-stakes matches. The whirlwind journey continues with a highly anticipated "mini-derby" against local rivals Mohammedan SC on October 5, further intensifying the strain on the squad.
In a press conference held at the club's training ground, Molina expressed his frustrations with the compressed schedule, particularly highlighting the logistical hurdles posed by traveling between India and Iran. He pointed out that the back-to-back nature of the matches leaves little time for preparation and recovery. "I think it's not helping us because we have a long trip to Tabriz. Then we have to come back, another long trip, and we'll arrive here on the 4th [October]. We have the match on the 5th. It's not really good. Maybe if the match was at least on the 6th, we could have at least one day here in Kolkata to train," he lamented.
Molina's concerns extend beyond just player fatigue; he stressed the importance of adequate preparation time for matches of such magnitude. He emphasized that the current scheduling not only affects Mohun Bagan but also has broader implications for Indian football as a whole. "The ISL has to think about that because the Indian teams who are playing in AFC competitions are representing Indian football. I think everybody in the ISL has to try to help the teams so that all of us have the best options possible to represent India in the best way around the continent," he urged.
The upcoming weeks are crucial for Mohun Bagan as they strive to make their mark in both the ISL and ACL. With the pressures of competition and travel weighing heavily on the squad, Molina’s call for a more accommodating schedule highlights the need for a balance between club commitments and player welfare. As the team prepares for this intense period, all eyes will be on how they manage the challenges ahead and perform on the field.
