Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 22 : Chennaiyin FC will be looking to bounce back from their opening match reverse when they face Mohun Bagan Super Giant in their second outing of the India Super League (ISL) 2026.
The Marina Machans went down by a goal in their league opener, despite stringing together several promising attacking plays while dominating possession. The match against Mohun Bagan brings an opportunity for recovery, and head coach Clifford Miranda has been left delighted with what he has seen in training from his players in the past days, as per a press release from ISL.
"The reaction from my players has been fantastic, even after conceding a goal, even after losing a game, in the dressing room and in training. For me, they are a perfect example of professionalism and character at this moment," Miranda told the media in his pre-match press conference on Sunday.
"I have no complaints. They are giving everything they have, despite difficult circumstances. It was a long season and a long lay-off from last year, which made things tough. But this group is giving absolutely everything, and their attitude is fantastic," he added.
Miranda's vast experience in the Indian football ecosystem means he will be facing a second former team of his within the space of days. The Chennaiyin head coach, however, was quick to play down whether there was an added advantage due to his past connection to Mohun Bagan.
"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 advantage as such. 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 for the presser was Chennaiyin's new number 66, Mohammed Ali Bemammer. Having debuted in the season opener against Mumbai City, the Moroccan defensive midfielder looked ahead to the Mohun Bagan encounter.
"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 was not 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," he added.
The Marina Machans' season opener provided a first look at Miranda's tactical system. Analysing his preferred methods, the former Indian international detailed how he envisions formations and his attacking players working within them.
"It depends on our strength, 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 is about principles of play. That does not change. The system is just an extension of how we want to play," the Chennaiyin head coach explained.
"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 is 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."
Post their Kolkata assignment, Chennaiyin will travel to Bhubaneswar for a tie against Odisha before concluding their four-game away spell with a Southern Derby versus Kerala Blasters.
*CFC vs MBSG Head-to-Head
Matches (All Competitions): 11 | CFC: 2 | MBSG: 5 | Draws: 4.