Jamshedpur FC and FC Goa lock horns at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Sunday, for what is going to be the most crucial game of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 season so far. A win or even a draw would ensure the Gaurs a semi-final spot, extending their current unbeaten run to four. When compared to the attack, Goa’s defence may not have been as brilliant, but the role of their Portuguese defender Bruno Pinheiro has been pivotal for their backline. On the eve of the decider, indiansuperleague.com caught up with the 30-year-old for his views on the game and the season as a whole. Here are the excerpts.

What are your views on the level of competitiveness in the league this season?

This league is full of surprises. You can see two of the all-time favourites - Kerala Blasters FC and ATK, didn’t make it to the playoffs, which is not so normal in this league. This only shows one thing, that the league is very competitive. All the teams have very good players who play very good football. We can now see Delhi Dynamos FC ending the season wonderfully. This season was more competitive than the other seasons. For us, we hope that the week will not end tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.

Your thoughts on Goa’s season so far?

We started amazingly well. We had a beginning to the season which was amazing and no one expected that. In the middle, we had a few games where we couldn’t manage to pick points, but in the last few games, we managed to go back to our dynamics and our style of play. That has given us confidence and we are back in our best shape. Now, we are serious contenders.

What is the morale like in the camp at the moment?

The players are very confident and you can see a great environment around the team. The confidence is very high which is crucial. In football and for football players, confidence is everything. So, we hope tomorrow we can take this level of confidence onto the field and take the three points which is very important for us.

What do you make of Ferran Corominas’ influence on the team in general?

Corominas is a top player. Not only on the pitch but also outside of it. He’s an amazing person and I am very happy for him. He deserves to be one of the highlights of the season. So, all this success is worth it as he deserves it. And for us, we are very lucky to have a player like him on our side. He has been amazingly crucial for us all through the season.

How tough will it be to break down the Jamshedpur defence?

It’s a very tough side. I am sure tomorrow will be a game where we will have a lot of difficulties. It is a very physical team. They are a very strong side and I am sure they will fight with everything they have, like us. Also, I think, it will be the game of the season for both the teams and even for ISL. The expectations regarding tomorrow’s game are high and everyone wants to watch it. So, the morale and the levels of motivation for both the set of players will be totally high. Everyone wants to win, but I hope that it will be a fair fight tomorrow with no major injuries. It will be an interesting battle.