Editorial Football Indian football

First derby of the season could be make or break for East Bengal; much at stake for Mohun Bagan too

October 19, 2024
<a href="https://revsportz.in/author/boria/" rel="author" class="url fn n" itemprop="url"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e660b408ca5a915f1c718d0cd98a879b?s=32&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e660b408ca5a915f1c718d0cd98a879b?s=64&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-32 photo' height='32' width='32' decoding='async'/> <span class="" itemprop="name">Boria Majumdar</span></a>
Left: Hector Yuste. Source: East Bengal FC, Right: Jamie maclaren. Source: Mohun Bagan SG

It is the first Kolkata derby of this season’s Indian Super League (ISL) and, needless to say, passions are running high. With the controversy over Anwar Ali playing out in the background in the last few months, the game has an added layer of intensity to it. Fans of both clubs crave a win and anything to the contrary is unacceptable.

For East Bengal, with four losses in the first four games, this is make-or-break territory. A loss could mean this season’ss ISL goes downhill and the pre-season positivity is lost. The club have already replaced a coach mid-season, and there can’t be anything worse than a defeat in the derby as they gets ready to welcome a new coach. A win, however, would change everything. All of a sudden, the losses would be forgotten and the foreign recruits will be hailed as saviours. Oscar Bruzon, the new coach, would inherit a team with momentum and that could just be what the club desperately needs.

For Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, the stakes are equally high. They are a really good side and performance have been patchy at best this season. The 0-3 loss to Bengaluru notwithstanding, MBSG is surely one of the best teams on paper. And yet, their foreign stars – Dimi Petratos, Jamie Maclaren and Greg Stewart – haven’t really delivered so far. While the Mohammedan Sporting game marked a sort of turnaround, it is always the match against East Bengal that matters most.


Having watched the Kolkata derby for 40 years now, I can say one thing with conviction. A derby is not won on form. Nor is it won based on the number of foreigners on the park. Rather, it is won in the mind. It is the hunger that wins you a derby. Which side wants it more, and who is ready to give it his all. The never-say-die attitude of the players is what will decide a derby, and not just pedigree.

A derby is also about dealing with pressure. Fans will want goals and more, and it is essential to shut out the outside noise. A good derby can make a player’s career and make him a hero overnight. The platform is such that it brooks no failure. Even if someone doesn’t score for ten games, the fans will still be sympathetic if he has scored in a derby. That’s how it is, and how it will always be.

In front of 65000 fans at the Salt Lake stadium, the two teams will fight for pride. That right to claim derby honours which has defined Kolkata football for 100 years now. The noise, the cheers, the abuse, the laments and the despair – each of these emotions will be seen in abundance. That’s what makes this game what it is – the centre piece of football in India. May the best team win, and may it be a good game with no violence. The ISL needs the derby, and so do the fans. All the best to both teams.

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