East Bengal’s preparations for the upcoming Super Cup suffered a major blow on Wednesday following two significant developments—Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva parting ways with the club and Spanish midfielder Saul Crespo picking up an untimely injury.
Speculation around Cleiton’s departure had been mounting for days, and matters escalated after a reported altercation with head coach Oscar Bruzon during the club’s traditional Bar Pujo celebration on Tuesday. The very next day, Cleiton arrived at the Salt Lake training ground as usual, but what followed took many by surprise. After greeting his teammates, the Brazilian forward is said to have completed the formalities to mutually terminate his contract with the club.
With Cleiton’s exit, East Bengal are now left with just five foreign players for the upcoming Super Cup campaign. To make matters worse, the club was dealt another setback on Wednesday when midfielder Saul Crespo suffered a hamstring injury after slipping at his residence. The Spaniard missed training and was taken for an MRI scan. The extent of the injury will be confirmed once the medical reports are available.
Adding to the turmoil, East Bengal have also reportedly parted ways with Spanish physio Senén Fernandez Álvarez. A string of injury concerns throughout the season is believed to be the primary reason behind this decision.
East Bengal are set to open their Super Cup campaign against Kerala Blasters in the tournament’s curtain-raiser. After a disappointing conclusion to both their ISL and AFC Challenge League campaigns, the defending champions will be eager to finish their season on a high by retaining the Super Cup title. However, these recent setbacks may prove to be significant obstacles in their pursuit of silverware.
No replacement for Cleiton Silva is expected to arrive ahead of the tournament, meaning East Bengal must regroup quickly—both mentally and tactically—if they are to overcome these challenges and make a deep run in the knockout competition.