Since Bashundhara Kings started playing in Bangladesh’s top football league in 2018, Oscar Bruzon has been a big part of their success on the local circuit. But the 46-year-old boss, who has worked with Sporting Club de Goa, Mumbai City of India, and New Radiant of Maldives, hasn’t helped the Bangladesh Premier League winners win any foreign games yet. After failing twice to get out of the group stage of the AFC Cup, the Spaniard is now facing another big task in the AFC Champions League. Before the Kings’ first-round game against Sharjah FC of the United Arab Emirates, the boss spoke with Anisur Rahman of The Daily Star.
(DS) The Daily Star:How do you plan to use this chance as the coach of the first Bangladeshi club to play at the top level of Asian club football?
Oscar Bruzon (OB): This game is a chance to show whether or not we can fight at the highest level in Asia. But we know we’ll be up against strong competition, so we’ll change our game idea to fit what the game needs.
DS: Your team will have to deal with two tough problems: a strong Sharjah FC team and hot weather in UAE. How have the players planned for these problems?
OB: The weather in UAE is very bad. It’s very dry and hot, but we’re making sure our players can breathe better, which will be a key part of keeping up a fast pace during the game.
DS: Teams will be able to have up to six foreign players on their teams. Will it make your team do better than they have in the past?
OB: The level of our foreign troops will make our unit more competitive. In local games, they have always shown that they are different, but the ACL has different rules. We are pretty happy with our new players, Shokhrukhbek Kholmatov, Boburbek Yuldashov, and Charles Didier from Uzbekistan and Ivory Coast, respectively.
DS: What do you think of Sharjah FC as a team?
OB: The team has world-class players and a large number of them. They have played in the ACL before and get to play at home, which is a big benefit. Aside from that, they play in one of Asia’s best leagues. But all of these things make us even more motivated to play our best.
DS: What is the end goal of this one-time meeting?
OB: Put up a good fight, give them problems, make things happen that work in our favor, and take advantage of the chances and chances that come our way.