NorthEast United FC head coach Nelo Vingada hopes a long break of eight days will stand his team in good stead when they host Atlético de Kolkata at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Friday. The Highlanders played their last match against Chennaiyin FC on October 20, and Vingada hopes the much-needed break will boost their campaign that has already seen them gather 10 points from six matches.

“You know after the game against Chennaiyin, it was important to recover, especially mentally, not so physically. When we played against Chennaiyin, we did have five days off before that match, so mentally it was like somebody punched us, and we didn’t deserve that but this is football… I tell my players that life is not only about football. In the game and training, life is football but we also have other things to do,” Vingada told reporters ahead of the match on Thursday.

“Now I can say that in this game our life will be football because it is a crucial game as it is the last game of the first round and they are a team which have nine points and it is a good game to achieve the points that we want, and of course I told the players that this game will be intense and I believe both teams are similar in many ways and I believe the determination, capacity, power and fighting spirit of the players will determine the result and I am trying to increase these qualities in the players,” he added.

However, in a big blow to NorthEast’s chances star performers Nico Velez and Romaric won’t play tomorrow due to injury. Vingada provided a fitness update on his squad. “Romaric and Velez will not play and some players like Mailson [Alves], Sasha [Aneff] are recovering but are not fit. [TP] Rehenesh the goalkeeper is injured but as I said before the team must be strong as a family,” the 63-year-old Portuguese said.

ATK head coach Jose Molina will not be part of the visitors’ dug-out tomorrow on account of a suspension. When asked if that could prove to be advantageous for his team, Vinagada said: “Look to be honest, I met him in Kolkata after the game against Mumbai and he agreed with me that the players are most important and of course the ball, so without them there will be no game but without the coach, the players can play and without the fans or journalists we can still play but without the ball and players, there will be no game. I don’t think it is a cause of worry. But I regret he can’t be on the bench.”