Atlético de Kolkata coach Antonio Lopez Habas is not overly worried and thinks his team can make it to the 2015 Hero Indian Super League semis despite having lost four of their last five games. The defending champions are currently sixth in the table with 10 points from eight matches and speaking to the media ahead of their game against bottom-dwellers Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Tuesday, Habas said he was positive as regards their semi-final chances.“Football and life are always in the here and now. Both of us [ATK and Kerala] have been in similar positions this season. Kerala wants to win right now and we also want to win. Two finalists last season. Both of us need a win, but we have the time and we have the points to recover and secure the top position. We have to be calm and not be nervous,” Habas told reporters on Monday.Both Kerala and ATK will miss their India players as they have left to prepare for their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Guam later this week. Habas said it was something unavoidable. “I have to say something today, playing for your country is your biggest responsibility as it applies to everyone, every Indian in this case. But it is not normal to have this short tournament running along with national football events. It is tough on the teams and it is imbalanced as well as some teams have three players missing and some have one,” he said.When asked to assess the Blasters who were languishing at the bottom of the league despite having done well in their last two matches, Habas said: “Kerala is a good team with good players. They need stability but they know what to do…They have fantastic support and support is very important.”After the Kochi game on Tuesday, ATK will play four out of their remaining five games at home and when asked how important it was for his team to play in front of home supporters, Habas said: “Last season it was the same, we need full Kolkata support. Amidst all these problems of injured players…We need the support. Every supporter owes it to the club, because in your family when your children have a problem your children need the support.”
