New Delhi: Delhi’s later resurgence have left many pondering over what could it have been had the Dynamos clicked earlier. But now having fallen out of the race for the top four, all they can hope is to end their season on a high when they welcome FC Pune City at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, on Friday.
They are unbeaten in their last five games and have won back-to-back games against ATK and Mumbai City FC at home. Portugal will be looking to complete a hat-trick against FC Pune City, who have already made it to the playoffs.
“The mood in the team is very good after the wins. But now we need to play again to win,” Portugal said about his team’s recent form at the pre-match media interaction.
His team will be under no pressure, said Portugal shifting the burden to the other side. “We’ll be playing to be happy. Pune needs to win the game,” he added.
In the reverse fixture between the two teams, which was Delhi’s first game of the season, Portugal’s men prevailed 3-2 over Pune.
While Pune have already made it to the playoffs, their humiliating 0-4 loss to FC Goa in their last game has not gone down too well with their fiery coach Ranko Popovic, who wants them to get back to winning ways before the big playoff games.
“We have to show last game just an accident. The problem is not when you lose, the problem is when you show no desire to win and that’s what happened to us in the last game.”
Talking about the importance of the game against Delhi, he added, “It is important for us because it’s the last game of the regular season.”
Critical of his player’s performance, Popovic told reporters that his players relaxed too much and it cost them the game against Goa. “I had told my players when you are playing well, you may just relax in a match and it will cost you. They didn’t feel that and now they do after the Goa defeat,” he continued.
FC Pune City will be without their top scorer Marcelinho for the game due to suspension. Delhi Dynamos, on the other hand, will have to do without midfielder Vineet Rai.