NorthEast United FC will be hoping to build on their impressive start in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 when they take on FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium on Tuesday. The Highlanders pulled off a sensational comeback against Kerala Blasters FC to pick up all three points in their previous fixture and will be confident going into the match.

NorthEast head coach Eelco Schattorie was present at the pre-match press conference to answer the media’s questions. The Dutchman began by lamenting the lack of preparation time for his side. "First of all, the preparation was not ideal. Since this morning, we have been on the road. So, it’s a big load on the physical front. Even travelling is physically tiring. Regarding the game, we try to continue to win whether we play home or away,” he remarked.

Pune have a better head-to-head record against the Highlanders in the Hero ISL. Schattorie, however, claimed that past results will have no bearing on the match and felt confident that his side can exploit their opponent's weaknesses. "First of all, we have had the best start ever for this club. So what happened in the past is not relevant. The most important thing is that we prepare in the best way possible for the game. Pune is under more pressure. You can see it. We need to maintain where we are in the Hero ISL table. Pune need to climb up, which is also a big expectation. It is going to be an interesting game. I think Pune have a squad with a lot of individual quality. The weaknesses are very clear and hopefully we can exploit it," he said.

The 46-year-old concluded by lauding his side’s strong mentality. "This season, I have faced a lot of issues and problems. Part of that has made us stronger. Last game, we won because of our determination and hopefully, we can do the same tomorrow," he said.

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