Mumbai City FC take on Atlético de Kolkata in the first leg of the first semi-final of Hero Indian Super League 2016 at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday. Mumbai head into the clash having qualified for the semis at the top of the table with 23 points from 14 games and will be confident of securing their second consecutive win against ATK after beating them 1-0 in Kolkata earlier this season.Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference, Mumbai head coach Alexandre Guimaraes played down a suggestion that his team was favourite going into the contest. “It is our first time in the semis and Kolkata have been there in the semis two times already, so I think I have answered the question. We are very excited to play our first semi-final and we are willing to do well like we did in the league stage. We know we are going to play against a team that also plays very offensive like us, so I think it will be a tough game and it will be a semi-final which will not be decided here but will be decided in Mumbai [2nd leg],” Guimaraes said.Continuing on if the second leg taking place in Mumbai will be an advantage for his side, he added: “I think that first of all we have been very solid in our defence and we are a team that has conceded the least number of goals [8] but that has not made us play only defensive. We have also scored a lot of goals and we have a lot of talented players up front and I have the luxury to choose from these talented players and everybody is available to play and no one is injured. I think I am giving you all too much information (laughs).”When asked how much confidence his side will be taking into this game, Guimaraes said: “The confidence is that we have been very stable during the whole part of the league stage and we have always stuck together in good times and in bad and in our way of playing. I think the team has one identity and it is important for us to play to preserve this identity and I think it is very important for the Mumbai City football club project.”The 57-year-old also explained why Sony Norde, who scored twice in Kolkata against ATK last season, had failed to start in Mumbai’s last three matches. “…I think he can help us in a different way, sometimes starting, sometimes as a substitute and we have no problem with anyone,” he said.Mumbai’s marquee player, Diego Forlan proved to be the difference the last time these two teams met in the City of Joy by netting the winner 11 minutes from full-time. Commenting on how much influence he has on the team, Guimaraes said: “Yes, his presence is very good but I will not say he [alone is] a big reason [for the team’s success]. With the intention of football here, I think here you have to have good heroes as coaches and players and I think he is one of them and he has shown his winning mentality, professionalism and his skills, of course. He always wants to play and he is not a marquee player, who plays one game and then does not play three games and he is there always and I think this is good for the football here and for our organisation to have a guy who came here with confidence and lifts the confidence of our team and helps develop Indian football.”
