Table-toppers Bengaluru FC will look to cement their place in the play-offs when they take on Kerala Blasters FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Having collected 30 points from 13 matches, the Blues are just a victory away from sealing qualification. They will be full of confidence going into the tie against the Blasters, given their superior head-to-head record and Kerala’s woes this season.

At the pre-match press conference, head coach of Bengaluru Carles Cuadrat took questions from the media. The Spaniard began by commending his side’s mentality throughout the campaign. “One of the reasons I am coaching the team is because they are competitive. It is a present for a coach to have a team which is so competitive. In training, we have a lot of discussion to calm them down. It is nice because you don’t have to forget it. We are working to become the champions. If you see the table, we have won nine games, which means something,” he said proudly.

When asked for his opinion on Kerala’s poor results, Cuadrat said, “It is a shame. I have very nice memories of the game we played at Kerala. The support was great, and it was a fantastic show. They were pushing the team the whole time and it was a very nice scenario to play football. For teams like Kerala, it has been a really hard season and I feel sorry for them because some of these teams have great players and great supporters,” he remarked.

Cuardat’s Bengaluru have not only replicated their form from last season but also improved defensively. Talking about what has changed this time around, he said, “I think that we are putting more intensity in defence. I am very happy with the work of Sunil Chhetri and Udanta Singh. They have been putting a lot of work in defence... In the beginning of the season, we had a little bit of a problem with Rahul Bheke and Nishu Kumar to adjust the line. But once they understood their responsibilities, they have been doing fantastic. The four defenders have really been doing a good job. The reason we are at the top of the league is because of the work we have been putting in.”

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