Sandip Patil, the former Indian cricketer who was in the squad when India won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, paid a visit to the Mohammedan SC players on Friday evening. He, along with Shabbir Ali, motivated the players, encouraging them for a comeback in the upcoming derby. 

Parallel Sports first broke the news that Patil would be visiting the players. He reportedly narrated the story from the 1983 World Cup, recalling how India faced setbacks, losing three crucial group league matches, yet rallied together to make an incredible comeback and secure the title. His words resonated deeply, reminding the players that resilience and determination can turn the tide, no matter the odds.

During the session, former Indian international and Mohammedan SC's former star, Shabbir Ali opened up about the hardships he faced early in his career, recalling a time when he was first called up to play for East Bengal. He endured repeated chants of "Go back,  Shabbir." From those difficult moments, ultimately becoming one of the most successful players of East Bengal. 

India were the joint winners with Iran in the 1974 Asian Youth Championship under his captaincy. He stated, “Nobody could imagine we would achieve joint victory alongside Iran before the commencement of the tournament.” 

The two renowned personalities conducted a 45-minute session with the players, leaving a profound impact on the players. Inspired by tales of resilience and triumph over adversity, the players expressed their commitment to give their absolute best in tomorrow’s match, eager to translate their newfound energy into victory. 

Before the Derby on Saturday, both teams addressed the media, reflecting on their challenges and strategies. 

However, Chernyshev blamed inexperience for the team's poor results, noting that many players lack ISL experience. He said, “We’re playing aggressive football, but it’s not enough. The young team is making too many mistakes and has lost rhythm after a few good matches. It may take six months to a year to bounce back, but with hard work and some player changes, I believe we can return to form.”

Chernyshev was asked about his role amid the challenges following Mohammedan SC's recent performances; he stated, “I’m not even thinking about that. One day someone will say I’m the best coach, and the next day, someone else will say I’m the worst. I don’t pay attention to outside opinions. Right now, so many people are criticizing Ancelotti because his team is playing poorly. I’m facing criticism in the same way. This is football. Coaches have to be prepared for all kinds of situations.”

On the other hand, the East Bengal FC coach, Oscar Bruzon, seemed rather calm about tomorrow's match after their recent win in the AFC stage.  

He stated, “For me, the AFC chapter is in the past. I’m happy with the team’s performance. We’ll play in the AFC again in March, so the full focus is now on the ISL. I can see light at the end of the dark road, and we must move towards that light. We need good results in every match. This is a chance to turn around the situation the team has been through. I’m excited and want to deliver our best performance.”

While Bruzon was asked about Cleiton Silva in the team, he made it clear through his response that he is not expecting him. When asked about Cleiton, the Spanish coach said, “Cleiton is a good player. He’s worked hard in training this week.” Then he added, “We have players like Dimitrios and Talal for the attacking role. We need players who are strong and aggressive. We already have multiple players for that position in our team.”

Mohammedan is just above East Bengal in the ISL standings at 12th place. Despite their struggles, Bruzon isn’t underestimating them. He said, “They have players like Kasimov and Alexis in midfield and some good wingers. I’ve analyzed their matches and found their weaknesses. We need to exploit those to win tomorrow. Though Mohammedan is struggling, underestimating them would be a mistake.”