Bengaluru FC head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli believes winning the last match against Chennaiyin FC has given his side the necessary energy as they lock horns with SC East Bengal in match 49 of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 at Athletic Stadium, Bambolim on Tuesday.

Bengaluru FC are level on points with FC Goa in eighth position with nine points in nine matches. The club has recorded two wins, three draws and four loses.

Bengaluru FC defeated Chennaiyin FC 4-2 in their last match. After conceding an early goal BFC bounced back to make it 2-1 before halftime, and eventually took all the three points. They had 13 shots at goal compared to CFC’s seven.

Ahead of the Bengaluru FC match against SC East Bengal, coach Pezzaiuoli addressed the media during the official pre-match press conference.

Here are the excerpts from the press conference.

SC East Bengal has a new coach now, does it make the fixture trickier?

Of course, we don’t know anything right now. We know only the players and maybe they changed the system. Right now the focus is on us. We know certain qualities their players have but we don’t know how they will play. We need to focus on ourselves.

What are your thoughts on the last match?

When you win a game in this fashion it gives you energy for the next game. SC East Bengal may not be ranking high but it’s definitely not going to be easy especially because they have had a ten days rest to recover and prepare for the game. You need to have 100% focus otherwise it gets very difficult.

How big of a relief it is to win a game after seven matches?

There’s more pressure when you don’t play well. But for us it wasn’t the case. There’s more pressure when you don’t create chances and the opponent is better than you. That’s never happened in all the nine games we have played so far. Winning matches gives you energy.

What are the factors which helped you win the last game?

Apart from the tactical change, we scored a penalty, kept intensity in set-pieces and converted the chances. But there’s still space for us to improve. Our ball possession, pressing, and repressing needs to get better. Football is a process.

Have you figured out your first eleven?

As a coach I know which players play in which positions but the starting eleven depends on external factors. I look at the things a player will bring to the team, in terms of effort, team spirit, etc.