Roca eyes a fabulous opportunity

On a balmy Sunday evening, the Sree Kanteerava Stadium was abuzz with uncontrollable emotions as the man for all seasons, Sunil Chhetri, sealed Bengaluru FC's slot in the Indian Super League final with a  sumptuous hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over visiting FC Pune City.

It definitely isn't unchartered territory for the Blues who romped to the I-League title in their very first season back in 2013-14.  That set the ball rolling for a trend of collecting silverware in every season since (Federation Cup 2014-15, 16-17, and I-League in 2015-16).

After topping the league standings with 40 points and now in the summit clash of the ISL, BFC have made the tournament almost their own with eye-catching displays and a strong team ethic. Coach Albert Roca and the think-tank have been instrumental in assembling a cohesive unit with an eclectic mix of youth and experience. Another stand out  attribute has been the willingness of fringe players to step up when required.

With the final slated to be played in the city on  Saturday, it will present BFC with a mouth-watering opportunity to etch their names in history books as the first side to win the I-League and ISL, thereby enhancing their reputation in Indian football circles.

"One thing is that we wanted to play here in front of our fans and  I am also really happy for the city. On the other hand, we will have some pressure considering we are not expected to  fail at home. But this is a final and a special moment. We must ensure that we keep our emotions in check.  It is a  fabulous opportunity and now we will do everything to go out there and get the title," said the Spaniard.

But their campaign has not  been bereft of a few hiccups en route. Damaging back-to-back defeats to Chennaiyin FC and Jamshedpur FC at a  stadium they call their fortress and a demoralising  0-2 at lowly Delhi Dynamos had threatened to derail BFC's journey. Inspired by their skipper Chhetri and prolific Venezuelan Miku, the boys from Bengaluru bounced back with panache and sit on the cusp of history.

"There were times when we were losing some games and we needed to resolve our issues quickly. I wouldn't call it panic though. We have only lost two games at home. After we lost to Delhi, it wasn't easy to go and play in Mumbai. That was probably the only  troubling phase in our campaign. I'm really happy that we came together as a team and got back on track," reflected Roca.