Indian international Pritam Kotal played an important role for ATK FC during two of their title-winning campaigns in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL). Apart from his Hero ISL successes, the defender also won the Hero I-League with Mohun Bagan in 2015. Kotal, who signed a two-year contract with ATK Mohun Bagan on Wednesday, recently spoke about the atmosphere inside stadiums in Kolkata and credited the city’s passionate fans for his team’s performances.

“Every single trophy motivates players. When we won the I-League, the atmosphere in Kolkata was magical. (The) same happened after we won the ISL in 2016. The fans went mad. Winning a trophy for a Kolkata club is a completely different experience,” Kotal said during a live chat on Mohun Bagan’s Facebook page.

The 26-year-old then expressed his delight at being able to don the maroon and green of ATK Mohun Bagan in the Hero ISL and is looking forward to making an impact with the club in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions. “I am very happy that I will be able to wear the Mohun Bagan jersey again. It is indeed great news that Mohun Bagan will play in the ISL and we will try to bring success to the club. We have won enough domestic titles so now our main focus will be to achieve success in Asia,” Kotal said.

On the pressure that accompanies a player who is a part of a club like Mohun Bagan, Kotal added: “You have to remember that you are representing a club like Mohun Bagan. Pressure will always be there. Every single big club across the world has a pressure of performance. It is part of the game. If you can overcome that pressure and perform, there lies your credit. Mohun Bagan fans have always supported me and the team. Even through tough times, the way they supported us was amazing.”