AFC Cup 2022: "We will be playing with no pressure tomorrow" Kuala Lampur City FC coach, Bojan Hodak

In AFC Cup 2022, ATK Mohun Bagan from Kolkata are set to face Kuala Lumpur City FC in the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal semifinals on September 7

A two-time Malaysian League title winner, KLC FC qualified for the semis after ending up on the winning side in their ASEAN Zonal Final against Indonesian club PSM Makassar

Enduring a hard-fought defeat in last year's AFC Cup Inter-Zonal semi-final against FC Nasaf, the Mariners have a chance at redemption after showcasing quality performances in the qualifying stage as well as in the group stage.  

Juan Ferrando's side were at the top of the leaderboard in Group D following their two consecutive wins against Bashundhara Kings and Maziya S&RC after their defeat in the opening game to fellow I-League side Gokulam Kerala FC.

The Green and Maroons qualified for the semi-finals stage after being the superior team on head-to-head against Bashundhara Kings as both teams fared level at six points at the end of the group stage.

Liston Colaco spearheaded the ATK Mohun Bagan attack in the AFC Cup with eight goal contributions consisting of five goals and three assists, and will be on the hunt for more goal involvements.

The Kolkata-based side have climbed their way up the table in their Durand Cup campaign after a crucial win against arch-rivals East Bengal. After a slow start, the Mariners are gaining traction and have a window of opportunity towards the knock-out stages.

Kuala Lumpur City FC coach, Bojan Hodak spoke in the press conference about the upcoming match:

He was unhappy about the visa situation as this caused several hindrances in the preparation for the game. The team was informed about the flight dates much later which caused practice delays and trips to the embassy didn't aid in the practice either.

When asked about the change in weather and how this affects the team, he said that the stadium is hot and humid which the Kolkata weather aids. But they are professionals and they are hear to perform and win.

Coach Hodak firmly believes that the pressure is on ATK Mohun Bagan as they are home favorites and have great players. Hodak added that reaching the semi-finals is already a massive achievement for his team and they believe in their hard work.

The Kuala Lumpur City FC coach was also asked about ATKMB starman, Dimitri Petratos, who Hodak had coached at an early age. He said that Petratos was quite young and had potential when he first coached him a year back. But now he has developed into a top-quality striker and can impact a match with one single decisive move. Hodak is well aware that Petraros is not entirely match-fit but he expects Dimitri have an impact on the match.

Continuing he was asked about the ATKMB team, he replied that ATK Mohun Bagan has a pacy squad that can attack with players like Manvir and Colaco not to mention Dimitri Petratos.

On asked about the challenge that KLC FC face against ATKMB in Kolkata, Hodak replied that his team is a small team from Malaysia who have worked hard to reach this massive semi-final. He expects a tough challenge from a top team like ATKMB but the pressure is complete on them to deliver in front of their home crowd.

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