Kolkata Maidan has once again witnessed a fresh controversy, this time surrounding Mohun Bagan defender Subhasish Bose, who in turn missed the Durand Cup due to an adductor injury.
According to close sources within Mohun Bagan, Bose joined the national team camp and featured in a practice match against the Bengal team, where he played the first half. It was during this game that he reportedly felt discomfort and consulted the national team physio. The initial assessment suggested a minor problem in his adductor muscles — located in the inner thigh and forming part of the groin — which was expected to heal with rehabilitation.
Bose, subsequently,travelled with the squad to Thailand, where he attempted to train and continue his rehab. However, the pain did not subside, and the injury appeared to worsen, prompting his return to Kolkata from the camp.
The national team, however, later issued a statement outlining a different version of events. According to the AIFF release, Bose played the full duration of both the legs of the ISL semi-finals on April 3 and 7, 2025, and completed 90 minutes in the ISL final on April 12, 2025, before being substituted. He then joined the national camp on May 18 after more than a month’s lay-off. The statement further claimed that Bose had disclosed discomfort during training sessions, revealing that the issue had originated in the ISL final. Importantly, the AIFF added that no prior communication regarding his injury or rehabilitation had been shared with the national team’s medical staff.
The timing of the AIFF’s clarification has also raised questions in football circles. With Mohun Bagan yet to release certain players for the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup — scheduled from August 29 in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — some observers are speculating whether the press release is linked to the ongoing club-versus-country dynamics.
For now, Bose has just resumed ball-training and is on his way to full recovery ahead of Mohun Bagan’s crucial AFC Champions League 2 campaign opener against FK Ahal, on September 16. However, the differing versions and the public statement from the federation are likely to leave a lingering impact on trust — both for the footballer, who has served club and country with equal importance and loyalty, and for the broader relationship between the stakeholders.
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