At 3 pm on Saturday, approximately 700 fans were still waiting in the queue for tickets for the Kolkata derby. Despite the match kicking off at 8:30 pm on Sunday, due to a political gathering at noon, the excitement among both sets of fans remains high for the return leg of the fixture.
As East Bengal coach Carles Cuadrat said: “The excitement is still high, and it’s good for Indian Football.”
With the Kolkata giants portraying contrasting pictures in the league – Mohun Bagan being the favourites to clinch the elusive ISL shield, and East Bengal reeling at ninth and having lost their last two games – the derby probably has a slight edge towards the green-and-maroons.
Mohun Bagan, currently in the third place with 33 points from 16 games, will vie for the top spot, while East Bengal, at 10th place with 18 points from as many matches, will be looking to secure a place in the top six. However, the path to the playoffs looks daunting as the red-and-yellow brigade must accumulate 12 points from their last four games.
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Mohun Bagan have been unbeaten since Antonio Lopez Habas took over from Juan Ferrando, winning four and drawing two in their last six games. They displayed convincing form against Jamshedpur in the previous outing, which was nine days ago, giving the Mariners ample time to prepare for the big game.
On the other hand, East Bengal are going through a rough patch after their Super Cup triumph in January. Cuadrat’s boys have managed only two wins and a draw from their last eight outings. But the coach will breathe a sigh of relief as Saul Crespo, their midfield stalwart, is set to return to the playing XI after missing out on action since being injured during the last Kolkata derby.
Crespo’s absence was evident during East Bengal’s lacklustre displays post-Super Cup triumph, and the Spanish midfielder can’t wait to be back on the pitch. “I am 100 per cent fit now. Officials and the physical trainer have helped me a lot. I know Mohun Bagan are a very good team. But we know we can beat them. We need to beat them to be in the top six. We are confident,” he said on the match eve.
Mohun Bagan will miss Deepak Tangri’s services as he will be serving a one-match suspension for accumulating four yellow cards. Abhishek Suryavanshi is most likely to fill in for Tangri, or considering the intensity of the derby, Habas might rely on Anirudh Thapa to shoulder the midfield responsibilities, along with Joni Kauko. Sahal Abdul Samad, who missed the last game due to a minor injury, is most likely to feature in the playing XI in Sunday’s mega-battle.
East Bengal have won two of the last four derbies, while Mohun Bagan managed only one victory. Under Habas, Mohun Bagan haven’t lost a single derby and will once again aim to add another win to the tally. Cuadrat, who had only four foreigners in the squad in the last derby, with Saul Crespo getting injured within 30 minutes, will look to make the most of having six foreigners in the mix after a long period.
Head-to-Head
Played – 7
Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 6
East Bengal FC – 0
Draws – 1
Coach and players’ comments
Antonio Lopez Habas: “The derby is a different game for me and the best moment will be to win tomorrow. We are looking for only three points. I am very happy with the performance of all my players. The important thing is that they are committed.”
Dimi Petratos: “It’s never easy, you cannot take any team lightly. Our focus is to go out there and give our best as a team.”
Carles Cuadrat: “I remember my first day when I was in Kolkata. People were telling me to win the Boro Match (Kolkata derby). We will try to win the Boro Match and the players will give everything to win.”
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