Champions Bengaluru FC begin their I-League title defence on January 7 at home against Shillong Lajong FC, and the mood around the camp is buoyant ahead of the new season.
New signing Harmanjot Khabra signed from East Bengal last month, has high hopes and the midfielder says he will be happy to beat his former team whom he played for seven seasons before making the switch to BFC.
"I have never imagined myself wearing any other jersey other than that of East Bengal. First few days (during pre-season training with Bengaluru) when some updates would come about East Bengal, I would think maybe I was on some vacation. But now I am involved with BFC. I will be very happy to beat them (East Bengal) here," says Khabra, laughing.
For the moment, Saturday cannot come sooner for Khabra, who has won three Federation Cups with East Bengal, a record seven successive Calcutta Football League titles, an Indian Super League (ISL) title with Chennaiyin FC in 2015 but has one silverware missing from his cabinet.
"I have won everything over there (with East Bengal), but the only thing missing is the I-League," says Khabra. "We lost here (in 2015) against BFC, and saw our championship hopes go up in smoke. It's not about signing big players and asking them to win the league. Sometimes it comes within a year. It took them (Mohun Bagan) 13 years to win the league. You have to feel for the supporters," he says.
Bengaluru FC coach Albert Roca is also eager to get the season started and is looking to build on the confidence gained from their AFC Cup exploits where they became the first team Indian to reach the AFC Cup final.
"It's a good background (to have reached the AFC Cup final). We have to grow up from that," says Roca. "What all the teams in India need is big-game experience, because unfortunately they don't play in those kinds of situations. My team is still growing up, it's not like everything is done. We have to show again that we can compete, and we have to show that we are there to compete. We have to win again, and we have to win the I-League title, which will not be easy because all the teams want the same."
Roca's team is carrying some injuries, particularly in their defensive line, going into the opening month of the league, following which they will also play an AFC Champions League qualifier away to Al Wehdat of Jordan on January 31.
With goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte, defenders Lalchhuanmawia, Salam Ranjan Singh and Gursimrat Singh all likely to miss all of January, the departure of midfielder Alvaro Rubio in November has also left a big hole in Roca's game plan, which is based around possession football.
"I hope we will not miss him too much, but he was a player who used to make others better. It's not going to be easy to keep the control of the situation. I would always want Iniesta and Xavi and keep control of the ball, but it's not possible. So the players that have come and the others that are here know that I like to build from behind. But if it's not possible every time, we have to adjust," says Roca.
Roca recognises that progression to the group stages of the AFC Champions League, the competition rated higher than the AFC Cup will be a tough task. Especially this year, with Bengaluru FC grouped in the West Zone, which means they will have to beat teams from Jordan and United Arab Emirates in one-off away matches to qualify for the main draw. "It's a shame because we deserve at least to compete with other teams there to know if we are good enough. We really can do something more, but let's try when that game happens, to be as strong as possible. Right now, we have to win and do things well in the I-League, and then we should see if we are good enough for that competition," he says.
28-year old Khabra believes the key to Bengaluru's success in the last three seasons has been their ability to stick to the basics, convert their set-pieces and execute their plans well.
"Tactically they are much better than other teams in India - not just in attack, but most importantly in defence as well. Defence makes you champions and they were the best there," Khabra says.
The injuries in the backline might open up opportunities for Khabra to start on Saturday, and the midfielder who has played in the past for Sporting Clube de Goa and East Bengal in central midfield, has also played along the wings and in defence.
"Whenever I have played for any team, even in East Bengal, if someone asks me two minutes before the game to play as left-half, I have no problem. I'm not a kind of player who can dribble three players or be an individual match-winner. I am someone who can be given the responsibility. If the opponent has one player who is best at attack, I am there to stop him," says Khabra.
"God has given me this gift to be versatile to do something good for the team. The coach knows that I am a utility player in Indian football, and what I have done in the last 20 days to prove myself - wherever he has to play me, I have to give a hundred per cent."