Bengaluru FC will begin their Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 campaign with a home clash against Kolkata giants East Bengal at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, September 14.
Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing finishes last season, with Bengaluru FC having ended 10th and East Bengal missing out on the playoffs.
Under the leadership of head coach Gerard Zaragoza, Bengaluru FC will be eager to make a fresh start. Zaragoza took charge mid-season last year, and while the Blues managed to secure four clean sheets under his guidance, the team struggled overall.
Zaragoza believes his side is well-prepared after a solid pre-season, which included their participation in the Durand Cup.
"The players we wanted to sign are here. The sporting director and owners have done their job and now it's our time to show. We had a really good pre-season in terms of training, fitness conditions, and tactics," Zaragoza said ahead of the season opener.
East Bengal, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their progress under head coach Carles Cuadrat. The Spaniard led the Kolkata-based team to the Durand Cup final and a Super Cup victory last season, earning them the chance to represent India in Asia.
However, their ISL performance was less impressive, as they finished in ninth place. Cuadrat is focused on sustainable development for the team this season, emphasizing the integration of new players and giving opportunities to youngsters.
"We are building a squad and trying to improve from last season. Some of the young players who debuted last year are now ready to make a bigger impact," Cuadrat stated.
Team news favors Bengaluru FC, who have no injury concerns going into the match. Zaragoza has a full squad to choose from, with new signings Alberto Noguera and Jorge Pereyra Diaz expected to make their ISL debuts for the club.
Meanwhile, East Bengal faces a setback with the suspension of key defender Anwar Ali. Despite this, Cuadrat has a fully fit squad otherwise and is likely to give new signing Dimitri Diamantakos the nod to start upfront.
Historically, East Bengal holds a slight edge over Bengaluru FC, having won nine of their 17 previous meetings. The last encounter between the two clubs ended in a 2-1 victory for East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium, with Saul Crespo and Cleiton Silva netting the goals for the Torch Bearers, while Sunil Chhetri scored for the Blues.
With both teams aiming to make a strong start, the clash promises to be a thrilling contest as Bengaluru looks to improve on last season’s disappointing finish and East Bengal seeks to build on their momentum from the Durand Cup and Super Cup triumphs.
Predicted Lineups:
Bengaluru FC: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Naorem Roshan Singh; Suresh Singh, Pedro Capo, Alberto Noguera; Shivaldo Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Jorge Pereyra Diaz.
East Bengal: Prabhsukhan Gill; Provat Lakra, Hijazi Maher, Lalchungnunga, Mark Zothanpuia; Jeakson Singh, Saul Crespo; Madih Talal, Naorem Mahesh, Nandhakumar Sekar; Dimitri Diamantakos.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM IST on Saturday, September 14, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
