Bhubaneswar, April 19: Bengaluru FC coach Albert Roca said that his team are 50 percent favourites as they gear up for the Hero Super Cup final against Kingfisher East Bengal slated to be held at the Kalinga Stadium on Friday (April 20).

Speaking on the eve of the Super Cup final Roca said, "Yes, we are the favourites, but only 50%. That's my mentality prior to every match as I feel every game is a 50-50 one. But this is a final and we need to show the mentality to win it." Not hiding his ambitious streak, Roca went on to add, "We are ambitious and aim to win tomorrow to complete an outstanding season. My players are excited to play the final."

Ready for the #HeroSuperCup final against @bengalurufc. #KEBvBFC pic.twitter.com/pXEOCPlecr

— KF East Bengal (@eastbengalfc) April 19, 2018

"We have to forget our defeat in the Indian Super League final. This is a new competition. We have enough potential to win the Hero Super Cup. But at the same time we respect East Bengal as a team as they are also keen on achieving the same result," he added.

Reflecting on East Bengal's strength, Roca said, "Katsumi is in very good shape. The last edition while playing for Aizawl FC, Al Amna had displayed to all that he is one of the best foreign players to have played in India. So we need to manage the situation and defend well."

Ahead of tomorrow's big finale, we look back at some memorable goals scored by the Blues against @eastbengalfc in the past. #EBvBFC #HeroSuperCup #TheFinale pic.twitter.com/IRI03e9mvC

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) April 19, 2018

Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, nicknamed the Burj Khalifa, admitted that his previous tenure with East Bengal has played a major role in him emerging the player he is today. "It's been a long journey from East Bengal to JSW Bengaluru FC. As a player, I have developed a lot. It wouldn't have been possible to be what I am today without my stint in East Bengal," a smiling Gurpreet said.

"But right now, I am not thinking about playing my old team. This is a new match and it's a final. I am only concentrated on how I can contribute to my team in the final," Gurpreet, the first-ever Indian player to have played in the UEFA Europa League maintained.

.@chetrisunil11 and Miku's goals powered @bengalurufc into the #HeroSuperCup final! Who will finish as top scorer? pic.twitter.com/msGR3dkDyD

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) April 19, 2018

On the other hand Kingfisher East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil took on a positive approach heading into the final clash. "We need to be positive and go ahead. Bengaluru FC are a good team. We need to be positive all throughout," Jamil said on Thursday (April 19).

"There is always temptation to try to think differently for a final. But we need to go ahead with normal preparations which we do for every match," he stated. "We need to think about ourselves and stay positive. We need to play our game." Jamil also lavished praise on Technical Director Subash Bhowmick for "helping the team." "He has been helping us improve in every area," Jamil said.

.@eastbengalfc go up against a confident @bengalurufc in what promises to be a thrilling final! Who will lift the maiden #HeroSuperCup trophy? pic.twitter.com/Mp9PjTv8x4

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) April 19, 2018

Meanwhile, central defender Eduardo Ferreira felt the Kolkata team cannot afford any lapse in concentration. "We need to stay switched on all throughout. BFC are one of the best teams in the country. We will give our best but it's more important to stay alert. Even for a moment, we get a bit complacent, we will be hit hard," he maintained.

Jamil, meanwhile, refused to read much into the trio of Udanta Singh, Nicolas Fedor (Miku) and Sunil Chhetri who have been doing the trick for BFC upfront. "Everyone is speaking about the trio. But in the midfield, Lenny Rodrigues has been in sublime form too. There's quality in every department in their department and not just about their strikers. Their bench strength is very strong," Jamil echoed. Jamil also opined that he hopes striker Dudu Omegbemi will get the match-fitness before the final.

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Match kicks off at 4:00pm IST

Live on Star Sports 2/2 HD/1 Tamil/Suvarna Plus/Jalsha Movies/Asianet Movies

Streamed live on Hotstar and Jio TV

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Source: AIFF