Mumbai City FC travel to Kochi to face Kerala Blasters FC in their second fixture of the 2025-26 Indian Super League season. The Islanders head into the contest following a positive start at home and will now look to carry that momentum into their first away game of the campaign.
Head Coach Petr Kratky expects a demanding test, particularly given the short turnaround.
“I think it will be a very difficult game for us. Obviously, Kerala Blasters have a turnaround of eight days. We played yesterday, so we have to be mentally and physically ready to compete. Kerala Blasters are a very good team, as we saw in the Super Cup. They have a good coach, good players, and it will be a very difficult game for us. But we will do our best in terms of preparing for that.”
On the team’s opening performance and areas for improvement, Kratky added, “To be honest, I’m very happy with the three points. It was very important to start the season well and get the three points in front of the home fans, and we achieved that. We will try to keep the momentum going and improve in every aspect of the game.”
Addressing the challenge of playing in Kochi, he said, “The players are experienced. They all play in India, in the ISL, and they know Kerala. It’s a good place in terms of football and passionate fans. It’s a big club, and we hope they come in big numbers. It will be very difficult, but we go to every game to win. We don’t just participate; we want to compete and fight.”
Speaking about the midfield battle, Kratky emphasised control and composure. “The battle in the centre of the pitch is always important, especially when you want to keep the ball and play football. The midfielders are very important if you want to control the game. We have the players to do that.”
Goalkeeper TP Rehenesh, who returns to Kerala for the away fixture, acknowledged the atmosphere that awaits. “As we all know, Kerala fans are very loud and very big in numbers. Playing against them is challenging, but it’s a feeling we all crave as players. It helps us give our best and perform well. It won’t be easy to play in Kerala, but we are focused and we want to keep the momentum going game by game.”
Reflecting on the team’s mindset this season, he added, “This season is totally different. It’s shorter in numbers, so we have to go into every game more aggressive and aim to get the maximum out of it. We are still not exactly where we want to be, but day by day we are improving. Game by game, we will get better and hopefully achieve our targets.”
With recovery and preparation now the immediate focus, the Islanders will aim to deliver a composed and competitive performance in Kochi as they look to build some early-season momentum.
With the kick-off scheduled for 7:30 PM on Sunday, it will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network and streamed on Fancode. Live updates will be available on the club’s official X handle, @MumbaiCityFC.
