Former Arsenal and Brazil left-back Andre Santos is happy with the way his stint at Indian Super League has taken off with Goa FC and hopes to leave an impact in the inaugural season of the league.
Goa take on table toppers Atletico de Kolkata on Thursday and Santos said before the match that he is getting fitter day by day and is ready to take on red-hot Kolkata. "I have been here only for a week, but I have been training really very hard and hoping to be much better in the next match."
When quizzed about the fitness of marquee signing Robert Pires, Santos was quick to suggest that it should be no problem for the legend and as the time pass by he will eventually show that he is still a class act.
"He's [Pires] a great professional, he's fit and has been training well. We can't expect to put a lot of pressure or obligation on him. All players know their limits and the rest of the squad always look forward to him; technically he is very important to the team," Santos suggested.
"We never know how a game will turn out. An older player can play just as well as a younger player. When he [Pires] plays even for a few minutes in the right rhythm, he is and can be excellent at his game," he added.
Santos also refused to debate that Goa and Kolkata, rich in football tradition, can be a fiery affair and feels that he and other players are ready for the challenge Kolkata will put up.
"It's football and we don't need to be worried of rivalry and things like that. Who is superior can be witnessed on the pitch. Challenges like this are always a motivation for the players. A lot of the foreign players don't know about this rivalry. But in this league everyone is a rivals," he concluded.
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