Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky seeks a response from his team after the defeat against Jamshedpur FC as they are set to take on East Bengal FC for Matchweek 15 of the 2023-24 Indian Super League (ISL) season at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Mumbai City FC, led by new head coach Petr Kratky, have had a mixed performance recently, winning two games and losing two out of their last five matches. They currently stand fifth in the league table with 22 points from 12 games. On the other hand, East Bengal FC, who won the recent Kalinga Super Cup, had a forgettable night in their last match against NEUFC and are now in the bottom half of the league table with only 12 points from 12 matches.

Both teams would be eyeing all three points to solidify their standings. This was evident from what head coach Petr Kratky had to say when he was talking about the preparation they have been working on for the upcoming match-up.

"We had a good week of preparation, boys are looking good and sharp, so the week was very good in terms of preparation for the next game. We will see how this will apply on Tuesday, and if we will apply everything we need to do," he said at the pre-match press conference.

"They are a very good team, we are fully aware of that, they won the Kalinga Cup for a reason, they lost the last match but that doesn't mean they won't bounce back, so we have to be ready from the first minute, work hard. They are a good team they have quality but we want to bounce back, so will be a good game to watch in my opinion and we are ready for it," he added.

“We want to bounce back and we are ready for it.” 💪

Head Coach Petr Kratky & Rahul Bheke spoke about the importance of getting back to winning ways as we step into a crucial phase of games in #ISL10 🗣️

Head here for the full #EBFCMCFC press conference: https://t.co/iKlwc0ShWo… pic.twitter.com/EDQTHNlvTM

— Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) February 12, 2024

The Islanders boss has expressed his satisfaction over the availability of a full and stronger squad for the upcoming match thanks to the addition of Syrian International Thaer Krouma and the recovery of Akash Mishra who was injured during national team training.

"Few boys came back, we have Krouma (Thaer Sami) also who joined the team so we are full strength. Looking forward to the boys buzzing again they miss a few games for whatever reason but I think they are buzzing to come back and play for Mumbai, that's very important," he said.

"They are fighters, they want to win, which is very important. Now we have to just apply that and work hard from the first minute and I believe in this group they are very strong. Looking forward to seeing Akash and everyone else back on the pitch and fighting for the win," he added.

When asked about the chances of newcomers playing a key role in the upcoming match. He said,

"That's what we want and that's why we signed them because they are good players, quality leaders, they will get opportunities and they too have to prove why they are here. There is an expectation. They are a good addition to the team, now we need to settle, we need to get together, get the momentum, and keep going. We need to settle and be consistent like Rahul said and work hard every day."

The coach also added that, in his opinion, Krouma is a valuable addition to Mumbai's defence.

"It's great to see him in training; he's a high-quality player with a great personality, and he's eager to win. I can't wait to see him play live on the field," he spoke about his new recruit.

Captain Rahul Bheke, who was in attendance along with head Coach Petr Kratky, emphasized the importance of consistency within the team, especially for the young players, ahead of a crucial game. He expressed his satisfaction with the recent good performance of these players, both on the pitch and in the training sessions.

"I think from here on all the games are very important, all the games are crucial and I think not only for young players but for the whole team it is very important for us to be consistent throughout the league games. We have seen the youngsters, they have performed so well in the Super Cup. So the only message will be to stay consistent during the ISL matches also, that would be very helpful for the team," he said.

Finally, Bheke Touched upon the recent unexpected loss they suffered against Jamshedpur FC and how the team plans to recover.

"I think for me and all the players, it was difficult for everyone to accept that loss, but everyone is working hard in the training, and everyone can't wait to get back to winning ways," the captain signed off by saying.