Mumbai City FC head coach Alexandre Guimaraes is not taking Kerala Blasters lightly ahead of their 2016 Hero Indian Super League game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Friday.Both teams are presently sort of at opposite ends of the spectrum. Mumbai City are undefeated winning two matches and drawing one, while the Blasters have just one point from their three outings. Guimaraes is happy with the way his team has started its Hero ISL 2016 campaign.“I would have liked to have nine points out of nine and I think we played with the intention of getting maximum points. But that's how the game is. More than the points, what needs to be focused on is the performance. Our efforts from our pre-season training are now showing results and I am very happy,” the Costa Rican gaffer said ahead of the game.Mumbai registered 1-0 wins against FC Pune City (away) and NorthEast United FC (home) and then played out a 1-1 draw with Atlético de Kolkata (home). Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, are yet to score their first goal, and when asked if that makes the home team a dangerous proposition on Friday, Guimaraes replied in the affirmative. “They are a team that hasn't scored, not because they didn't create chances but because they were unlucky. That doesn't make this an easy fixture. We need to stick to our game and do what we do in the best way possible,” he said.Both of Kerala’s home games this year have witnessed a big turn-out. Almost 55,000 spectators came to watch them play ATK and Delhi Dynamos FC, and for the first time this season Mumbai City will be playing in such a charged-up atmosphere. However, Guimaraes hoped his players will be able to deal with this situation. “It's definitely something I would like to see. It's the first time we'll be playing in this kind of atmosphere. But my players have shown confidence and I am hoping we put up an equally good performance, if not better tomorrow against KBFC,” he said.In a big blow to Mumbai City, marquee player Diego Forlan has been ruled out of the match on account of injury. He had also missed the ATK game after playing an important role in the team’s wins against Pune City and NorthEast. Guimaraes provided a fitness update on the Uruguayan forward. “No, Diego hasn't travelled with the team. He is working hard on his recovery with our medical staff and we hope that we can have him back fully fit at the earliest,” he said.
