Kolkata, May 10: East Bengal FC are set to play their 11th match of the ongoing Indian Super League tomorrow against Punjab FC. This will also be the last home match of the Red and Gold Brigade.The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 PM at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. As the league enters its final phase with only two or three matches remaining, the draw between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa has further strengthened East Bengal’s position at the top of the table.

Right now, the league scenario is very tight. East Bengal FC are at the top with 21 points, while Mohun Bagan Super Giant are just behind them with the same number of points. Jamshedpur FC also have 21 points and still have two matches left to play.

Bengaluru FC and FC Goa are on 20 points from 12 matches each. Meanwhile, Mumbai City FC and Punjab FC are also in the title race, with Mumbai sitting sixth on 19 points. Punjab, who still have three matches remaining, are on 18 points, which makes tomorrow’s match a must-win for them if they want to close the gap with the top-placed teams.

And for the Red and Gold Brigade, it is a do-or-die situation, as the upcoming fixtures include the Kolkata Derby. To strengthen their grip at the top of the table, they need all three points tomorrow, especially with holding the best goal difference in the league.

Meanwhile, ahead of this crucial clash, the spotlight fell on the words of head coach Oscar Bruzon, whose comments once again reflected that some people are harming the club. This time, however, he directly mentioned names in his statement.

Speaking of former Indian footballers who are associated with East Bengal FC, Sandip Nandy, Alvito D’Cunha and Rahim Nabi, head coach Oscar Bruzon said that their influence is making it difficult to maintain a healthy atmosphere within the club. Oscar said

“It’s not easy for me to talk about the players that are the people, sorry, that are trying to spoil, to undermine and to have control and to be in the spotlight and to make brokerage of football. These people should be removed from any area of influence of this club”.

Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis believes the team has shown steady growth over the past few seasons, especially this year with a more attacking and energetic style of football, as the spectators saw they bounced back many times. He pointed out that Punjab now try to play with high pressing and quick attacking movements, something often seen in European football.

However, despite being pleased with the way his side is performing on the field, the coach made it clear that the team is still unhappy with the final results as they feel their performances have not been fully reflected on the points table this season.

Oscar Bruzon made it clear that East Bengal FC are fully focused on tomorrow’s match and not looking too far ahead in the season. Despite important fixtures still remaining, including the Kolkata Derby, the coach stressed that the team’s only target right now is to secure all three points in the upcoming game.

His comments also showed the winning mentality inside the squad, as he does not want players or staff thinking about calculations, future matches, also Oscar added that the club is ready to take risks and focus completely on the present moment in their fight to finish among the top teams.

With only a few matches left in the season, every point now matters. For East Bengal FC, tomorrow is another chance to stay ahead in the title race, while Punjab FC will be fighting to keep their hopes alive. And with both coaches making their intentions clear before the clash, the stage is set for an intense night at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.