Syed Rahim Nabi, coach Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva and Alvito D’Cunha during East Bengal’s practice on Monday. (Below) Bhaichung Bhutia warms up at the Mohun Bagan ground. Telegraph pictures

Calcutta: Being a man from Brazil, the famous Rio Carnival has been a part of Carlos Roberto Pereira da Silva’s life. The Durga Puja festival has already invaded the Bengali psyche and the East Bengal coach knows pretty well how important it is to gift something special to his team’s millions of supporters at this time of the year.

One can easily gauge it from his relaxed composure ahead of the big match against Mohun Bagan, from his occasional gesturing of V-signs during the customary press conference, from his determination to make amends of the first-leg loss. Yes, nothing but a win preponderates Pereira’s mind.

“I don’t want to give much thought to the fact that my team is better placed in the League. Irrespective of our position, a win is all what we want tomorrow,” Pereira said on Monday, hours away from encountering Bhaichung Bhutia & Co.

For the record, East Bengal now head the table with 22 points from nine matches while their rivals, the defending champions, are breathing down their neck with 18 from 10 matches. A victory on Tuesday will almost assure East Bengal of regaining the title.

There is also an underlying motivation of exacting revenge on Mohun Bagan, when Bhaichung scuppered a visibly dominant East Bengal’s ambitions with an exquisite goal in the first leg.

The scorer of that match, held exactly a month ago, believed that the pressure is now on the other side. “It’s a crunch tie, but East Bengal are under pressure. In a bid to win the League, they have to beat us,” Bhaichung said on the match-eve.

According to the India captain, the team played well in patches, but couldn’t gel since the coach didn’t have all the players at his disposal.

Biswajit Bhattacharya admitted that like the first-leg clash, a lot would again depend on Bhaichung. “He’s a one man army… he’s indispensable to any team under crisis,” the Mohun Bagan coach pointed out.

Almost in the same vein, Pereira hinted at man-marking the striker.

Biswajit, however, added: “I have a lot to lose and a lot to gain tomorrow, because the team’s prestige is involved in any tie against East Bengal.”

It is Dharamjit Singh’s absence — due to his red-card against Mohammedan Sporting five days ago — that’s worrying Biswajit most. “His absence is a key factor. But I hope the boys will rise to the occasion,” he said.

Pereira is also not sure if the injured Ashim Biswas will be available nor has he divulged anything about the Brazilian forward Marcio Fernandes Thomas’ chances of playing.

Incidentally, there was no spectator present during Mohun Bagan’s morning practice session, the club’s decision to charge them for entering the ground being the key reason.

“It’s surprising not to see the supporters around,” admitted Bhaichung. “But I’ll not be short on motivation. Every match is new to me and that’s how I keep my hunger alive,” he remarked.

It remains to be seen whether Pereira’s ambitions again get devoured by the hungry Bhaichung.