Giants of Indian football, Mohun Bagan Super Giants and East Bengal are going in for the first face-off in the first Kolkata Derby of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season at the Vivekananada Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) today, February 03.
The big match between the traditional arch rivals, MBSG and EB match will start at 7:30 PM and will be available on live streaming. DD Bangla will be broadcasting it live.
Rivalry Between The Two One Of The Fiercest Of All Time
Carrying over a century of history with it, the Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal rivalry is arguably one of the fiercest in not only Indian football but Asian and world football as well.
East Bengal is into Saturday’s fixture on the back of winning the Kalinga Super Cup in Bhubaneswar that was their first national-level trophy in 12 years. Enroute, the Red- Yellow team had defeated the Mariners 3-1 in the group stages.
However, Carles Cuadrat’s team has struggled in ISL 2023-24 and is currently eighth after 10 matches. Furthermore, as per records, East Bengal have never beaten Mohun Bagan in the ISL, having lost all six matches in the competition against their traditional rivals. For the uninitiated, Carles Cuadrat Xiques is a Spanish professional football manager and former player, who is in charge of coaching East Bengal. He was announced as the Head Coach of East Bengal in 2023 with whom he has signed a two-year contract. He is considered one of the most successful managers in Indian club football history.
Mohun Bagan, meanwhile, are fifth in the ISL standings but are seen to suffer a poor run of form of late. The Mariners lost their last four matches one after the other, a run that led to Spanish head coach Juan Ferrando’s sacking. The parting between the team and Ferrando took place about a month ago. Two-time ISL winner Antonia Habas has been roped in as Interim Coach to replace his countryman.
East Bengal, meanwhile, will have to deal with a handicap. Having sent out Borja Herrera and Javier Siverio on loan to FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC, respectively, the club now has signed Spanish midfielder Victor Vazquez, a former La Masia batchmate of Lionel Messi’s, and German striker Felicio Brown Forbes as replacements.
Stars Cleiton Silva, Jason Cummings, Dimitrios Petratos Likely To Shine Today
Captain Cleiton Silva, who scored a late extra-time winner against Odisha FC in the Super Cup final, will be the man who everyone will be looking out for in East Bengal while Mohun Bagan’s attack will be led by Jason Steven Cummings and Dimitrios Petratos.
The excitement is palpable in the city. Football lovers have already packed the stadium and cheering for their favourite teams as we file this report.
Bengali