ISL 2023-24: We are ready to compete against every team – Odisha FC’s Sergio Lobera before playoff match against Kerala Blasters FC

Odisha FC’s boss Sergio Lobera said his team is ready to compete against every team before the playoffs match against Kerala Blasters FC at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar on Friday. The Kalinga Warriors finished the league stage at the fourth spot in the ISL standings with 11 wins and a total of 39 points.

On the other hand, Kerala Blasters FC ended the league phase in fifth place with 10 wins in 22 games and a total of 33 points.

When these two teams met earlier in the season in October, Kerala Blasters FC registered a 2-1 win against Odisha FC. However, Sergio Lobera’s team avenged their loss in February as they won by the same margin.

“We need to finish the season before we can do a very good analysis. But until now, I am very proud of my players. We are competing against the strongest teams in India and fighting there till the end in all competitions,” Lobera stated in the pre-match press conference.

“We reached the final in the Kalinga Super Cup and defeated teams like Mumbai City FC and FC Goa in the process. In the AFC Cup, we finished top of the table against very strong teams like Bashundhara Kings and even the current League Shield winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant,” he shared.

“In terms of the Shield, we had an amazing season. We competed till the end, and I think we need to be proud of our players because it was a difficult season competing in three different competitions,” he continued.

The Spaniard admitted that Kerala Blasters FC is a strong team and they will look to be at their best in a must-win game to secure their semifinals berth..

“We need to put the focus on tomorrow’s game against a very good team, Kerala Blasters. It won’t be easy, but we are playing at the Kalinga Stadium, and hopefully, we can reach the semi-finals and play against the best team in India at this moment, Mohun Bagan SG, because they’ve won the Shield and to show everyone we are ready to compete against every team and in every competition,” the head coach commented.

“It’s an advantage for us to play at home, but we need to be ready to play for the full 90 minutes. We need to be ready for extra time. We need to be ready for penalties. We are excited about this possibility because we know in four games, we can emerge as champions of the ISL this season,” Lobera stated.