Super Cup 2025: Catala slams players' mentality after quarterfinal exit
Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) head coach David Catala criticised the mentality of his players after they succumbed to a 1-2 loss against a young Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) side in their Super Cup 2025 quarterfinal match at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday.
Former KBFC midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad scored the opening goal, while 20-year-old Suhail Bhat scored the eventual winner to send MBSG into the semifinal, where it will face FC Goa.
'I am disappointed because we had some expectations for this competition. We tried to change the mentality of the players, but I can see that some of them still have not changed,' Catala told the media at the post-match press conference.
ALSO READ | Mohun Bagan Super Giant youngsters pass Kerala Blasters test to book spot in last four
After a promising win against defending champion East Bengal in the round of 16, KBFC failed to match the quality and had a forgettable time in defence as well as in front of goal.
MBSG's young wingers, Salahudheen Adnan K and Ashique Kuruniyan, made light work of skipping past KBFC fullbacks Huidrom Naocha Singh and Hormipam Ruivah, respectively, before setting up the goals for their side.
'I thought that we were strong in defence, but then we ended up conceding two easy goals. We knew their strength and that they were going to attack us from the sides, but still we were very soft in the 1v1's and it ended up costing us the game,' Catala admitted.
In attack, Spanish striker Jesus Jimenez, who was the club's top scorer in the recently concluded Indian Super League season (11 goals), missed as many as three clear-cut chances in the second half.
He sent two close-range attempts off target in a span of three minutes before miscuing his shot into the opposition goalkeeper's gloves with the goal at his mercy, late in the game.
'We had a lot of chances to score, but we were not efficient enough. If you really are ready and concentrating 100 per cent, then we simply cannot miss these chances. Meanwhile, they (MBSG) created just two or three clear chances and scored two goals,' Catala said.
When asked if the absence of the injured Adrian Luna played a factor in the loss, Catala refused to make excuses and asserted that football is a team game, and it would not be fair to depend on just one player.
'We are a team, so it is not a matter of missing just one player. I think we were not strong enough to compete today, and this is something that we need to improve on for our upcoming season,' Catala concluded.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Likely Manolo Marquez exit points to national team shake-up
Action from the Hong Kong, India AFC Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday. India lost 1-0. (AIFF) Panaji: India coach Manolo Marquez cut a forlorn figure after the solitary goal loss against Hong Kong, understandable for a man who savoured just one win from his eight games in-charge of the national team. The first six games were in his dual role as coach of club and country but worryingly for the Spaniard, both his games as full-time coach of the national team ended in defeats. If the 2-0 loss against an under-strength Thailand in an international friendly was brushed aside with the focus being on the AFC Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifiers, the defeat against Hong Kong left everyone deflated. 'The dressing room is like a funeral, practically,' Manolo said after the game at the Kai Tak Stadium on Tuesday. 'We are not very happy. We are sad. But I still think that India has possibilities to qualify.' India are at the bottom of the four-team group with just a point from the first two games which started with a draw against Bangladesh. Singapore and Hong Kong are on top with four points. Only the group winners make it to Saudi Arabia in 2027. Mathematically, India can finish on top, but even if it happens, Manolo won't be around to savour the achievement as the Spanish coach is expected to part ways with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) later this month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Transform Your Child's Confidence with Our Public Speaking Program Planet Spark Book Now Undo 'From June 1, Manolo became a full-time national team coach, and he cannot walk out of his two-year contract on his own,' a senior official told TOI on Wednesday, 'Both parties must agree on termination. Given the situation at the moment, with the chief coach hesitant to continue and the results not entirely convincing, the mutual parting of ways is a mere formality.' A formal parting of ways is expected to take place when the technical committee of the AIFF and its executive committee holds separate meetings on June 29. Manolo Marquez and Sunil Chhetri during a training session in Kolkata in May 2025. (PTI) Manolo will be disappointed with the unexpectedly early end to his stint as national coach. Having managed teams at every level, including grassroots, youth, third division, second division, women's football, and the LaLiga with Las Palmas in 2017, the national team job was the only one missing for the Spaniard. He was brought on board after agreeing to do a dual job with FC Goa and India, but the results have been far from satisfactory. 'I cannot say anything negative about the players. The attitude was there, we had a plan too. In some moments, I felt we could have played better with the ball and be brave. But this is about the situation that the team is not winning, and the players are a little nervous,' said Manolo. It was Manolo who flew down to Bengaluru from Goa to convince Sunil Chhetri to come out of international retirement, seeing him as a short-term solution, given that the other leading scorers among domestic players was an uncapped winger and a left-back. Chhetri agreed, scored once against Maldives -- Manolo's only win as national team coach -- but hardly made an impression in the subsequent games. Against Hong Kong, India's highest international goal-scorer didn't even make it to the starting XI. When the next round of Asian Cup qualifiers are played against group leaders Singapore, away (Oct 9) and home (Oct 14), AIFF would have found a replacement for Manolo as national coach. Replacing Chhetri won't be as straightforward, unless the 40-year-old forward decides it's time for India to start afresh. Maybe his starting on the bench on Tuesday was a pointer to how things might shape out in the coming months.


Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Madrid joins Formula E Season 12 calendar as new venue, along with two new circuits
Image credit: Formula E As the new Formula E Season 12 calendar with 18 races was unveiled, Madrid has been added as a new venue among 12 cities across the globe. The GEN 3 Evo cars will race for the first time at the historic Circuito de Madrid-Jarama in March next year. This marks the first time a Formula E race will be held in the Spanish capital — and the first World Championship motorsport event in the city in 37 years, since 1989. More about the 2025-26 Formula E calendar Another new circuit on the calendar is the Miami International Autodrome, which will host its inaugural Formula E race on January 31 next year. This event brings the championship closer to the heart of one of America's most passionate sports hubs on the East Coast. Securing a race at this venue follows the successful delivery of its EVO Sessions event in March 2025. Two additional locations are pending public confirmation as end-stage negotiations with local authorities continue. The final calendar will be revealed and ratified during upcoming World Motorsport Council Meetings later this year. The calendar also emphasizes sustainability by grouping events into dedicated clusters across America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. This approach aims to reduce freight transport and CO2 emissions while maximizing logistical efficiencies across regions. Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said: 'We're incredibly proud of the global footprint we've built for our 12th season, covering 2025-26. With at least two fantastic new circuits joining the impressive roster, including what will be a home race for myself in Madrid that has long been a goal of mine, we're enhancing the diversity of what fans can expect while staying true to our DNA with a blend of city street and built circuit venues. It is what makes our racing so exciting and compelling to watch. We've carefully curated each leg to minimise our freight, improve sustainability and give fans across the world even more opportunity to tune in and watch no matter the time zone, thanks to our fantastic roster of broadcast partners' Marek Nawarecki, Director, FIA Circuit Sport Department, added, 'The Season 12 calendar provides a world-class platform to showcase Formula E at its very best whilst offering a balanced presence in different regions, especially in those where the EV industry is developing. With an excellent mix of new circuit venues and returning street racing classics, fans can expect an action-packed season that reflects Formula E's continued growth and innovation in electric motorsport. The variety of track layouts will also ensure diversified race scenarios with the GEN3 Evo race car.' Also Read: Jakarta to London via Berlin: All you need to know about the remaining 2025 Formula E calendar Formula E Season 12 will begin with the Sao Paulo E-Prix on December 6 this year and conclude in London in August next year.


The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Madrid's new street circuit to debut in 2026, replacing Imola on F1 schedule
A new street circuit in Madrid will make its debut on the Formula 1 schedule in September of next year, replacing the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. F1 announced its 2026 calendar on Tuesday, setting the first grand prix at the new Madring track in the Spanish capital for Sept. 13. Spain gets two races in 2026 as Barcelona stays on the calendar for the final year of its contract. It faces an uncertain future after that. F1 has previously said Madrid's race will be known as the Spanish Grand Prix. The new schedule doesn't specify a new name for Barcelona's race, which has been known as the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991. Spain's second race means Italy drops back to having one grand prix as Imola leaves the schedule. The historic track, a favorite with drivers, returned to the schedule in 2020 as a late addition amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has hosted five races since. Its contract was up this year. The Australian Grand Prix on March 8 starts the season for the second year running because the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia again move to April to avoid clashing with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The season stays at 24 races and concludes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Dec. 4-6. As part of a push to limit intercontinental travel, the Canadian Grand Prix moves forward from June to May 24 so that it follows the Miami Grand Prix. That sets up a potential clash with the Indianapolis 500. Last month's Monaco Grand Prix was also run on the same day as the Indy 500, but the difference in time zones meant it was easier to avoid a clash. The Monaco race started nearly four hours earlier and finished well before the Indy 500 began. This week's race in Canada is sandwiched between events in Spain and Austria. Moving Canada in 2026 will mean that all of F1's European races are scheduled together from June through September. 'With 24 grands prix across five continents, the season truly reflects the global nature of our community, while the improved geographical flow of the calendar shows our joint commitment to making the championship more efficient and sustainable,' FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement.