Mumbai City FC, riding high after a thrilling victory over Kerala Blasters FC, will hit the road to face Chennaiyin FC this Saturday, November 9th. With nine points from six matches, the Islanders are building momentum in their campaign and will aim to carry their winning form into the away fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. Ahead of the encounter, Head Coach Petr Kratky and forward Bipin Singh highlighted the importance of maintaining consistency, especially against a resilient Chennaiyin FC side. For Mumbai, extending their upward trajectory remains the focus as they strive to move further up the league table.
Highlighting his expectations for the encounter, Head Coach Petr Kratky remarked, "Chennaiyin is one of the best teams in this league, so it won’t be easy. They’re in the top four and are a very strong side. They’ve done well with their recruitment to fit their style of play, and we have to respect that." He further added, “We’ve done our analysis and know what to expect—it will be a difficult game for us. However, we also know where we can expose their weaknesses and play to our strengths. We need to be diligent, and it all comes down to how we approach the game from the start."
Greek forward Nikolaos Karelis has been in top form this season, with five goals in six appearances. Lauding his goal-scoring prowess, Head Coach Petr Kratky said, “He’s on the scoresheet more and more. He’s a good player, and we just want him to keep going. But he also relies on his teammates and how the team performs, so it works together. He gets to where he needs to be—that’s his skill. We’re very happy for him to have his goals this season. For us, it’s about keeping him motivated, working hard, and giving him the right service at the right time.”
Reflecting on the season so far and the team’s form, Kratky said, “It’s always a gradual process to secure how we play, and sometimes it takes time. It’s not easy to play the game the way we want. Teams in the ISL are getting better every year and even every week, which makes it more difficult for us. We also have new players and new staff, so it’s an adjustment. But I’m very happy with the progress we’re making. That said, we still need to improve in every phase of our game and make our football much better. We’re earning some points along the way, but we need to improve our style of play so everything can come together."
With the Islanders boasting one of the most exciting forward lines in the league, Bipin Singh noted, “We have been training very well, and we are starting to see the results. Especially, we are seeing the forwards play well.”
Following Mumbai City FC’s 4-2 victory against Kerala Blasters, they currently occupy the eighth position on the table . Reflecting on key takeaways from last week's victory, Bipin Singh said, “If we want to win the game, we need to play the roles assigned to us by the coach. We need to defend together; we need to attack together and follow our tactics. Most importantly, we must do this consistently to get the result we want.”
With the ISL set to complete their 1000 matches this weekend, Bipin Singh, reiterated the value it has brought to Indian football, “I am very fortunate to be a part of this league. It has helped players improve a lot. I have seen a lot of improvement in my own skill set. It is like a National Championship, and I hope it continues to do well.”
Where to Watch
The game will kick off at 5:00 pm IST on Saturday, 9th November 2024 and will be broadcast on Sports 18 and Jio Cinema. For our global fans, you can find your broadcaster at www.indiansuperleague.com/broadcasters or follow all the action LIVE on our official Twitter account - @MumbaiCityFC
