He may not have had much playing time in Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18, but FC Pune City’s Croatian recruit, Damir Grgic seems to be enjoying his time in India. Grgic sat down with indiansuperleague.com for an exclusive interview ahead of the Stallions’ clash on Sunday against Chennaiyin FC at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune. The defender opened up about India in general, and also the preparations for the match. Here are the excerpts.

What do you love about India?

The people here are different than in Europe. They are warmer in heart, and I feel really good here.

Thoughts on the city, the fans and the atmosphere in the stadium?

For me, in the first game when we went out of the hotel, the fans were there, and it was a nice experience to be a part of. There is a big difference between here and Europe.

Have you had any unique experiences in this city so far?

The unique thing that I have experienced here in India, is the smiles of the people that I see on a daily basis, and it makes me happy too. I hope that this is not the last year for me in India.

You have played in Slovenia before. How different is the intensity of football here?

In Slovenia, maybe it is better tactically, but in terms of quality, there is no big difference. I think the people in Europe don’t have the real picture of Indian football, because they think that India is too far away from Europe in quality, but since I am here, I can say that the Indian players are also big on quality.

How well have you gelled with your teammates here?

From the first day, they have accepted me very well, and I feel comfortable here. The guys over here feel like family to me.

Has there been any special preparation for the game against Chennai in defensive training, to avoid conceding goals?

I will keep this a secret, but I hope that tomorrow we will keep a clean sheet, and take the three points.