East Bengal FC head coach Antonio Lopez Habas has admitted his team’s lacklustre performance as the Indian Super League (ISL) champions suffered a shock defeat against Chennaiyin FC on Saturday (November 7).

The Red and Gold Brigade endured a disastrous evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, conceding five goals in an eight-goal thriller to suffer their first league defeat of the 2026-27 season.

The result means East Bengal have now conceded seven goals in their last two matches across competitions, having previously lost 0-2 to Oman’s Al-Seeb in the AFC Champions League Two.

Habas Takes Responsibility For Chennaiyin Defeat

Habas did not shy away from criticising his team’s performance, admitting that East Bengal were too relaxed and allowed Chennaiyin to dictate proceedings.

“Today, the team was too relaxed and gave the opponent too much initiative. We are not a team that plays well with this kind of approach. The opposition played well and punished our mistakes. It was unacceptable to concede a goal within the first three minutes,” he said at the post-match press conference.

The Spaniard also felt his players might have underestimated Chennaiyin, while accepting responsibility for the result.

“I take responsibility for the result. I am the coach, both when things go well and when they go badly. I have to address this situation immediately with my players. This was not my team today. It was an accident, and I hope it never happens again,” Habas added.

Fixture Congestion Also A Concern For Habas

The East Bengal coach also highlighted the demanding schedule his team has endured, having played 19 matches since July across competitions.

“We need to recover as a team. We are the only team in the ISL to have played 19 matches. Perhaps Chennaiyin have played only three or four competitive matches. But there are no excuses,” he said.

Habas acknowledged that playing continuously throughout the season is different from competing with breaks between fixtures. However, he insisted that East Bengal must recover quickly and address their shortcomings as they look to regain momentum.

Anwar’s absence has been a significant concern for Habas. The Indian international sustained a hamstring injury during the Al-Seeb encounter, forcing the East Bengal coach to reorganise his defensive line. Asked whether the defender’s absence had contributed to the team’s recent defensive struggles, Habas stressed his importance.

“We need Anwar Ali to be back. He is an important player for us,” the Spaniard concluded.