AFC Cup 2022: ATK Mohun Bagan coach Juan Ferrando wary of I-League winners Gokulam Kerala FC | OneFootball

ATK Mohun Bagan head coach, Juan Ferrando has opened up on their AFC Cup 2022 group stage opening day opponents, revealing that they are not underestimating fellow Indian side, Gokulam Kerala FC.

ATK Mohun Bagan have been drawn in Group D of the 2022 AFC Cup along with fellow Indian side, Gokulam Kerala FC, Bangladesh Premier League champions, Bashundhara Kings and Maziya who are the winners of the Maldives' Dhivehi Premier League.

While the Mariners go into the game as favourites, Ferrando believes that his side should be wary of Gokulam Kerala, considering that they are in good form and recently created history by becoming the first club to win consecutive I-League titles.

"For me this team is clear when it comes to attacking. They know what space is there, they know what is the moment to attack in the free space. The team is compact, also in moments of attack, they’ve got four-five key points very clear," he said on the eve of the game.

"After watching a lot of their league games, I like this team because in this case, their plan is 100% effective as a team. There also exist some problems at the time of the press, the time of attack is not the same for all the players in the team.

"But I think they have a clear vision and a distinctive idea and they know what is the best moment to attack," the Spaniard added.

The Mariners will open their campaign against Gokulam Kerala FC on Wednesday, 18 May with the match scheduled to kick-off at 4:30pm IST.