All set to open its AFC Cup campaign this season against Blue Star here on Tuesday, ATK Mohun Bagan coach Juan Ferrando is wary of its rivals' long-ball passing and said his side cannot underestimate the Sri Lankan team.
Blue Star defeated Mahindra FC of Nepal 2-1 in an away match in Kathmandu on April 5 to clinch the preliminary stage round two berth.
"After playing slow football for a while, the team (Blue Star) suddenly bursts into attack, creating more goal-scoring opportunities. We have to be careful," Ferrando said after watching their rivals' group stage win.
"There is no reason to underestimate Sri Lanka's Blue Star. The passing of the team is very good. Sometimes the team plays pressing football." Ferrando noticed that the Sri Lankan team has the tendency to play long balls and also follows the strategy of sending the ball to the left-wing from the right back to turn the game.
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"The Sri Lankan club is always trying to send the ball over the head of the opposition. Their center-back Chalan Chameera's game is a lot like our Carl McHugh," said the Spaniard, whose contract was recently extended by another season following their third-place finish in the ISL.
"He (Chameera) is good at defending and also able to increase the correct pass. We have to remember that one of the best clubs of their country is coming to play and we have to play with respect. That's how we are getting ready." The only let-up during Blue Star's win at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu was loose play in the final 10 minutes when they conceded a goal.
"Blue Star did not play well in the last ten minutes. For this reason, many people think that the team is not too good. I refuse to accept that. After the two goals, they probably didn't want to give extra effort thinking about the next match."
The former FC Goa coach replaced Antonio Habas at ATKMB in a mid-season appointment and since his arrival, the Mariners lost two of its 16 matches, narrowly missing the ISL-8 final.
ATKMB had directly qualified for preliminary round two, finishing runner-up to Mumbai FC in the Indian Super League 2020-21.
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Ferrando said he will sort out his side's strategy in the next few days by analysing the video in the team meeting with the likes of Tiri, Pritam Kotal, and its star Fijian forward Roy Krishna, who is back after playing for his country's World Cup Qualifiers last month.
In its maiden AFC Cup season in 2019-20 following ATK's merger with Mohun Bagan, the Kolkata giant topped the group stage but was eliminated in the Inter-zone play-off semi-finals, going down to Uzbekistan's Nasaf.
"I believe progress happens match by match. Now only ninety minutes of the Blue Star SC match are in my head. We have to get success at that time," Ferrando said.
If they get past Blue Star, ATKMB will face the winner of the match between Abahani Limited Dhaka and Valencia of Maldives in a play-off match here on April 19 for a place in the group stage of the continent's second-tier club competition.
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