Chennai, February 22 – Chennaiyin FC will aim to secure their first points of the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) season when they face defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in Kolkata, hoping to quickly overcome their narrow defeat in the opening match.
The Marina Machans began their campaign with a one-goal loss despite dominating possession and creating several promising attacking moves. However, head coach Clifford Miranda expressed satisfaction with the team's response in the lead-up to the match.
“The reaction from my players has been fantastic, even after conceding a goal, even after losing a game. In the dressing room and during training, they have shown professionalism and character. For me, they are the perfect example of that,” Miranda told the media at his pre-match press conference on Sunday. “I have no complaints. They are giving their all, despite the difficult circumstances. It was a long season and a long break from last year, which made things tough. But this group is giving absolutely everything, and their attitude is fantastic.”
Miranda, who previously worked with Mohun Bagan, downplayed suggestions that his familiarity with the Kolkata outfit could offer an advantage.
“They are good players, now under a different coach. They play in a much more fluid way compared to when I was there, so there’s no real advantage. Football happens in the moment; you can't pause it, fix it, and restart. It’s fluid. Apart from the fact that they are fantastic footballers and I've worked with them before, there's no added advantage,” he said.
Joining Miranda at the press conference was Chennaiyin's new signing, Mohammed Ali Bemammer, who made his debut in the season opener. The Moroccan midfielder acknowledged the challenges of pre-season preparations but remained optimistic.
“I am very happy to be here with the players and working with the coach. The situation was difficult; it was a long period of training and preparation. It wasn’t easy. But now everything is fine. We are preparing for the match against Mohun Bagan. We know it will not be easy, but we will prepare very well,” Bemammer said. “We know we are playing against a good team with top players. We have prepared very well for this match. We are here to help the team.”
Miranda also elaborated on his tactical philosophy, stressing that systems are secondary to principles.
“It depends on our strengths, on the opponent, and on the characteristics of both teams, including the players I have at my disposal. Whether it’s a 3-4-3, 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3, for me it’s about the principles of play. That doesn’t change. The system is just an extension of how we want to play.
“In the way we play, the front players have freedom of movement, but always within a structure. There is a positional framework that has to be respected. It’s not about a number 9 always staying between centre-backs or a winger hugging the touchline. There is fluidity, there is freedom, but they must respect the structure in terms of attacking movement.”
In 11 meetings across competitions, Mohun Bagan hold the edge with five wins to Chennaiyin’s two, while four matches have ended in draws.
