Bengaluru FC take on East Bengal in the Final of the inaugural Hero Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday, with the aim of finishing the night as the first champions of the competition. After getting the better of Mohun Bagan by a 4-2 scoreline in the semifinals, the Blues will be high on confidence when facing another Kolkata giants, who have also been their former foes. Possessing a unit studded with talent and class, John Johnson has been an ever-present figure in Bengaluru’s defensive setup. The Englishman spoke to supercup.in ahead of the big fixture to discuss his side’s chances against old rivals East Bengal and more. Here are the excerpts.

How important will the trophy be for Bengaluru?

This is going to mean a lot to us as a club. We will be looking forward to the game and hopefully, we can win.

Does the fact that you are playing an Indian football giant affect your mental state when going into the match?

No. I just think you got to take each game as it comes. We have prepared well. I am sure if we perform to our best we can win.

Does the extra day make a difference?

No, I don’t think so at all. It’s nice to have three days, but I think the boys have conditioned themselves well enough for this game. So I think we will be fine.

Are you getting used to the Bhubaneswar heat?

Slowly and surely, yes. It will be alright. It is not a thing we are too concerned about.

What are the team preparations like?

Just our normal routine. We are listening to the tactics of the coach and getting excited about the game.