FC Pune City is all set to host FC Goa at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune on Sunday’s first encounter in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18. A win is crucial for the Gaurs’ hopes of entering the top four this season, while a win for the Stallions would confirm their first ever semi-final berth. The visitors need to brush aside their current lean form of five consecutive winless encounters and draw inspiration from their talismanic Spaniard Ferran Corominas. The current top-scorer of the league with 13 goals and three assists to his name from 15 matches spoke to the indiansuperleague.com prior to the high-octane fixture. Here are the excerpts.

What do you make of your amazing run this season?

We have done well so far. The team has created a lot of opportunities which has allowed me to score, but to be honest, if you ask me now, I would happily change the fact that I am the top-scorer and that I scored so many goals, if it would mean that we would be in a better position in the league table. If someone asks me to swap, I will happily go forward with the swap.

With a chance of reaching the playoffs looking a little difficult now for Goa, how is the mood in the dressing room?

This is true that the team is not having the best results in the recent games but, I don’t think there is any kind of nervousness in the team. We just want to play well, reach the semi-finals and then see where it goes from there.

If Goa qualifies for the playoffs, which two teams alongside Bengaluru FC deserve to bag a top-four spot?

First, we have to do the job ourselves to enter the semifinals. After that, if you ask me which other two teams should go, I would say Pune (FC Pune City) and the other one would be Chennai (Chennaiyin FC).

Goa does not have a single clean sheet this season, so do you think the team needs to step up their defensive game?

Well, obviously there are things that one can improve upon. But the way we play also ensures that we score a lot of goals. It means that we play in an open-style, hence, it means we are bound to concede goals sometimes. But we need to keep improving and find that defensive equilibrium and balance in the team to ensure we come out with better displays.

How do you expect the encounter against Pune to be like?

There’s a lot on the line in tomorrow’s game. Both teams will try to go out there and put their best foot forward, but for us, the aim has to be not to concede too many goals and obviously try to score more than them.

Who do you think will be Pune’s most threatening player?

It is difficult to take one name because Pune have a very good team. In attack, they have some very dangerous players as well as strong players in the defence. So, we need to focus not on one singular player but on the entire squad that takes the field.