Jamshedpur FC will be on the road for a mouthwatering clash against FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday. Separated by just a single point in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 table, both sides are contenders for a playoff spot and will have their eyes set on upstaging the other in what might very well turn out to be a six-pointer in the race for the top four.

At the pre-match presser, Jamshedpur boss Cesar Ferrando spoke about his team’s preparations going into the match, especially after the long winter hiatus. "After a break, it’s a tough match to play. But I think, the team is prepared to play. We have important matches now, Goa, ATK and Mumbai. We want to win. My team is ready to play," he said.

Jamshedpur have roped in defender Augustin Fernandes in the January transfer window. Ferrando, however, confirmed that Fernandes isn't fully fit yet and will not feature against the Gaurs. "He’s not fit to play. He has to recover from his injury. I think he’s a good player. He needs to train more every day and then he can play soon," he said.

Midfielder Carlos Calvo will be unavailable for selection due to a three-match suspension. Asked about the implication it could have on his team, Ferrando stated, "He’s a good player in this team. I have 20 players. I have to choose the best for tomorrow."

Ferrando concluded his pre-match duties by assessing the Gaurs' qualities and recalling his side’s 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture earlier on in the season. "I hope (we can repeat the 4-1 triumph). I want to win. But Goa are a good team. They would want to win to stay in the top four. The same with us. I think they have a good coach. They have good players. They play very well and score a lot of goals. If we want to win, we have to control the tempo of the match. We have to be careful with a lot of things. But, it’s an important game for us," said the 59-year-old.

Read the match preview here.