East Bengal vs Altyn Asyr: Carles Cuadrat pragmatic ahead of AFC Champions League 2 Match

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East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat has taken a pragmatic approach ahead of the AFC Champions League 2 Preliminary match against Altyn Asyr.

The Kolkata club qualified for the continental tournament after the Kalinga Super Cup win earlier this year, and they will face Turkmen giants Altyn Asyr, who have an excellent track record in their short history.

Ahead of the crucial match against the Turkmenistan club, Carles Cuadrat spoke about the high quality that their opponents have and said his team will be leaving every energy on the pitch on Wednesday.

"It's a very important match for the club. It has been a long time we haven't played in Asia. We are ready for that and it will be a difficult test. They are a good team and its' going to be a challenge for us to show that we are also at the level," Cuadrat said in a press conference on Tuesday (August 13).

He also spoke about the inexperience of his team in the continental stage and urged the fans to showcase their support for the massive tie.

"We have to be realistic. I am a very pragmatic coach. A lot of players of our team will play their first AFC match, they have players who have played 20 or more matches in the competition. We are going to fight but it is very clear that we need support from our home fans," he added.

For the upcoming match, only Nishu Kumar will be out due to an injury. Cuadrat also confirmed that Cleiton Silva is back in training and will be available for the Altyn Asyr match.

We are not favourites: Cuadrat

The Spaniard has induced a radical change in the East Bengal team since his arrival, and with some big signings, the Red and Gold Brigade have bolstered more ahead of this season. Although the likes of Madih Talal, Dimitri Diamantakos are significant signings for the club, Cuadrat still believes East Bengal will be the underdogs going into this match.

"We are not favourites. We are playing in Asia after 9 years. But one thing is very clear. East Bengal always have a never-say-die attitude and we are going to go for that. I have to say that Altyn Asyr was very superior five years ago. For us, it's a new thing. We have a wonderful opportunity to make it happen in front of our fans. So we will try to go for that," the East Bengal coach concluded.

East Bengal player Nandha Kumar also attended the press conference and he spoke about the opportunity to showcase their quality against Altyn Asyr.

"I am very excited to play in this match. This is my first AFC game and we are ready to accept this challenge. The players are excited and we are hungry to play. We have a great challenge in front of us. We are ready for the match," Nandha said.