Luis García and Antonio López Habas (R) at the pre-final press conference.Atlético de Kolkata head coach Antonio López Habas reflected on a successful march to the Hero Indian Super League final and called on his team to produce their best game against Kerala Blasters FC in what will be a historic match on Saturday to mark the end of the inaugural season.“It is been a challenge to fuse together all the different mentalities, the cultures and mind-sets. We have managed to play a very good brand of football. I am happy with the progress that we have made. I want the team to produce their best game in the final. We have had to grind away at times, we have played exceptional football on several occasions, and there have been moments when we have gritted our teeth and carried on. I think we deserve to be in the final because that was what we wanted from day one,” the Spanish gaffer elaborated at the pre-final conference.Asked whether he had observed any progress in his batch of Indian players, Habas was quick to quip, “The Indian boys have had to adapt to us and our different training methodologies and processes. I must say that they have done very well. We wanted them to play at a certain level and I am happy to say that they have produced that,” he opined.The former Sevilla player and Valencia manager also confirmed that his star Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra would miss the final due to injury, “Fikru will not take part in the final. His injury does not permit that,” he revealed. “But we have other players in our squad who are hungry to prove themselves and will grab this opportunity with both hands.”“It has been a wonderful experience coaching Kolkata. I must admit that it has been a tough job as well. I have coached many teams around the world, but this has been very unique. It has taught me a lot and I hope that I can take back all the positives from this stint,” the 57-year-old Habas, who has coached in Spain, Bolivia and South Africa, replied, when asked if his innings here had made him a better manager.Kolkata’s marquee man, Luis García, who also attended the press conference, was quick to brush off suggestions that his side would be at a disadvantage because they had failed to beat Kerala Blasters in the league phase. “A final is always a one off game. Every player wants to do his best. It is up to the coach to pick the best XI. Anything can happen in a final. I do not think that there will be any disadvantage whatsoever. I hope that we all get to be part of a great game tomorrow,” García stated.The former Liverpool player also gushed that he was looking forward to the game and was honoured to be a part of the first ISL final. “Kerala have played some wonderful football and are deserving of their place in the final. We have also been one of the consistent sides in the tournament. We too deserve our place. It is a big occasion. We want to go out and enjoy ourselves. We are very excited to be a part of such a historic moment in Indian football. From the opening ceremony to now, everything has happened in a positive way. I feel privileged to be here,” he concluded.Hero ISL’s pre-final press conference photo gallery
