It won’t be a surprise if we reach the finals this season: Carles Cuadrat

East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat feels it won’t be a surprise if they reach the finals of the Indian Super League in the upcoming season. East Bengal won six out of the 22 matches in the Indian Super League 2023-24 season and ended the campaign in eighth place with 24 points.

It was Red and Gold Brigade’s best season so far in the ISL history. Furthermore, East Bengal FC lifted the Super Cup after beating Odisha FC by 3-2 in a thrilling final contest.

Ergo, Carles Cuadrat was able to get the best out of his players and he would want to continue the good show.

Reflecting on the changes over the past year, Cuadrat remarked, “A lot of things have been happening. What is clear is that it was the start of a project, and nobody knew what would be the result of the project. The main difference is that now there is hope, there are things to challenge, and there are competitions to try to fight for.”

“I think that one very, very big difference is that last season it was a kind of surprise that the team reached two finals. But this season, if we reach the finals, it won’t be a surprise. This is the good dynamic that we have been working on for the last year, and people are believing. That’s the most important thing,” he explained.

The Spaniard, who has all the experience of coaching in India, added the current squad is one of the best he has coached in his career.

“This is my seventh season in Indian football. I came here in 2016. I have seen lots of situations, lots of games, and lots of players. I can say that it is one of the best squads that I have been managing,” Cuadrat remarked.

“Before also, with Bengaluru FC, we had a champion team that scored lots of goals, got very good results, and won trophies. It’s true that it’s a pleasure to work with so many good players. Of course, we’re going to be under pressure; football is to feel the pressure, and it’s necessary to fight for victories and go for trophies,” he added.

Speaking on his game plan and tactics, Cuadrat said, “I was called set-piece coach when I was at Bengaluru FC. Last season, we didn’t score a lot of goals in set-piece. We, as professionals, know what we do. It’s true that last season, the main thing was to defend well. For a team that was conceding two goals every game, it became difficult to get points. From the seasons before in which East Bengal FC have been participating in the ISL, I remember results like 6-4, 6-5. But this is not my style, for sure. That means you are doing a lot of bad things with your strategies if you concede so many goals. I am happy that the team understands that. There was an incredible effort from the players. We got a total of 10 clean sheets during the season. Not only the goalkeeper but also the whole team is working hard.“