Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis stated that it will be difficult to get a positive result against Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 Cup winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their first-ever game in the league, however, he is relishing the challenge that comes with the fixture.

Punjab FC won the I-League in the 2022-23 season and became the first-ever club to be promoted to the ISL.

The Greek tactician stated that his coaching team has given all the necessary instructions to his players on how to deal with Mohun Bagan Super Giant and he believes that his team have understood all the inputs from the coaches and are ready to face the Green and Maroon brigade.

"My headache is big, to be honest. Mohun Bagan (SG) have very quality and skilful offensive players, generally also, but especially in the attack. We have seen them, we have analysed them, we have given the appropriate instructions to our players. It would not be easy. We believe that our players have understood the way to face them. If you are out of concentration for even one second maybe you can pay for that. That's why I need the maximum concentration of our defenders," he said at the pre-match press conference.

Vergetis also provided updates on two of the Punjab FC foreign signings Wilmar Jordan Gill and Dimitrios Chatziisaias' fitness.

"We have one small problem with Jordan Gill, he is not able to help us. Our new transfer is very few days with us, Dimitrios Chatziisaias also needs a little more time to prepare better," the head coach said.

Vergetis is aware of the challenge facing his team, but he, along with the rest of the team is confident that they can gain a positive result from this match.

"I am fully confident, all of us. We are waiting with great expectation for our first game in ISL. All the staff and all the players of the club. I left my family and came to India to succeed. If you have fear, and doubts you never succeed, so we have one challenge in front of us, a very difficult game. So, without fear and with a lot of confidence, with all the plan of the game, we will defend like this and attack like this and hope for the best," he said.

Vergetis does not feel that his team is at a disadvantage because it is an away fixture. He trusts his players to make the right decisions and get a positive result.

"I trust the maturity of my players. I think that I have very good players inside of the field like Luka. They have the maturity to face a difficult and very strange game for us. Mohun Bagan game is not a usual game for us, it's something unusual but I have players inside the field who can give instructions to their teammates and in the difficult moments, they will raise the team up. Luka is one of them and some more players. I trust the maturity of my players," he said.

Luka Majcen accompanied Vergetis in the pre-match press conference. He was the top scorer of the I League 2022-23  season with Punjab FC and won the title with them.

The Slovenian appeared confident ahead of the game against Mohun Bagan Super Giant and reiterated that he has prepared well during the training sessions since the Durand Cup to improve his match sharpness.

"I do not have a problem in knowing that I was not the sharpest version of myself during the Durand Cup but it was just the beginning. We started preparing two weeks ago and I am here as a sharper version for sure," he concluded.

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