India assistant coach Shanmugam Venkatesh praised Nepal as a competitive team ahead of SAFF final match which is scheduled for tomorow in Male City.
Speaking with AIFF mouth piece ahead of the final, fomer Indian international said, “Nepal are an extremely competitive team, and the motivation of playing for both teams in a final is quite normal. We respect Nepal as a team. We have told our boys to enjoy the final,” Venkatesh, who won two SAFF Championships as a player".
India are without three players for the final match. Farukh Choudhury (ACL injury), Brandon Fernandes (quadriceps injury) and Subhashish Bose (suspended) are not available for selection.
Meanwhile, head coach Igor Stimac, who is also suspended for the final match, said they were not allowing complacency to step in.
“We are not allowing complacency to step in. We are aware of what we need to do. There is a very tiny line between being confident and overconfident and I am keeping a close eye that we don’t cross that line,” Head Coach Igor Stimac stated.
“We are rising as a group, as a team and as a big family playing better football with every given day. We have to be patient, keep working hard and be confident. Nepal are a known opponent to us, as much we are to them. We take confidence in having won the last two matches. But I reiterate, we are not overconfident,” Stimac told AIFF.
The match will be played 8:45 PM NST.