KOLKATA: East Bengal will not take struggling Mohun Bagan lightly, coach Khalid Jamil said today ahead of their return leg I-League football clash on January 21.
"We have been preparing as usual, anything can happen in a game. Mohun Bagan are a good side, we can't take them lightly," Jamil told a news conference at their tent today.
East Bengal lost by a solitary goal in the first leg derby on December 3 but since then, they have won five matches, including four in a row.
"We did not play well in our last match against Mohun Bagan. But we have prepared well for this time." Asked whether he's looking at this as a revenge match, he said: "We have to win well and play positively. Every match is a do-or-die, no doubt this one as well.
"Like every other match, we are hoping for a positive result," he said seeking to play down the hype surrounding the derby.
East Bengal's glorious run ended after dropping points in the last two outings as they slipped to second behind Minerva.
"There's still a long way to go. My focus is now on Mohun Bagan, I'm looking ahead," he concluded.