The mainstay of FC Goa defence, Bruno Pinheiro looks forward to the Hero Super Cup as 'an opportunity to repay the fans' who had backed the team throughout the season.
"We have come here to win something and give our fans an opportunity to rejoice. The expectations were very high and we managed to go to semifinals of ISL. Nevertheless, they backed us throughout and now we have to repay them", the Portuguese defender said during the pre-match press conference before his team locks horns with ATK in the Super Cup clash on Tuesday.
Coach Derrick Pereira says Goa did well in the recently concluded ISL and the team is looking forward to the challenge at Super Cup.
"We had a decent season having reached to the top four, especially after last season when we finished with the wooden spoon. Sergio Lobera brought in his football acumen and a fantastic set of players gelled well with his style," Pereira said.
"This is going to be an interesting tournament and everybody is serious to put up a good show," he added.
In ISL, FC Goa had an outright 4-1 win at home and a feisty 1-1 draw against the ATK but Pinheiro sees it a new challenge and the team needs to start afresh to overcome ATK again.
"ISL is past now and we're focusing on tomorrow's game. I take every game as a different story. ATK have regrouped under their new coach. Their motivation level must be very high. We must rely on our strengths to get the better of them."
Meanwhile, Bruno Pinheiro added, "This is the first instance of this tournament happening in the country. It'll be a major honour for us to win it and etch our name in the history book."
ATK overcame a sturdy Chennai City FC in the Super Cup qualifiers and now its ready to throw a strong challenge to its familiar foes FC Goa in the knockout tournament.
"We have come here to win. We believe in our abilities and we know if we perform to our potential, we can win tomorrow's match against FC Goa," assistant coach of ATK, Bastob Roy said.
On asked, if his team could be third-time lucky against FC Goa, he said: "It was the last day in February in the ISL and we're playing them again tomorrow. Lots of changes have happened since then. Even the atmosphere of the venue has also altered."
"It's a new format and it'll be a fresh game tomorrow. We're not going back to recall the ISL games but looking forward to a fresh start with renewed vigour," he added.
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