Kolkata, March 13: East Bengal FC will play their sixth fixture of the ongoing Indian Super League against Kerala Blasters FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan tomorrow from 5:00 PM. East Bengal FC are currently placed fifth with two wins, one draw and one loss, while Kerala Blasters FC have lost all four of their fixtures and sit in thirteenth place.
The injury concerns are slowly easing for the Red and Gold brigade as Saul Crespo has fully trained with the team in recent days and is available for tomorrow’s match. On the other hand, Kevin Sibille returned to Kolkata at the beginning of March and is preparing to regain match fitness, though it may take around seven more days. Meanwhile, during the matchday minus-one training session, Anton Sjoberg was seen training on the sidelines and not with the main squad. Their opponents, the Yellow Army, have arrived with a full squad without any injury concerns or card issues.
The match scenario is not clear at the moment. The Red And Gold after starting the campaign with two impressive win lost their winning momentum, and loosing all four matches the Yellow Army will come into the match highly motivated and will be determined to change their momentum, they are hungry to secure their first points, and this could make the contest a tough and competitive battle.
The pre-match press conference was not only about the upcoming clash but also hinted at internal conflict within the club. During the conference, Oscar made a sharp remark about the situation around East Bengal FC, that some people associated with the club do not want the team’s progress or growth. He said, “Different thing is that there is people, probably associated with the club, that they don’t want the progress, they don’t want the growth, they were shouting on me, on the coaches, on the players, on the last games, but we know who they are. All of us.
Players, coaches and people of other management. So all these people,they are just a mask and show in their face when the things are not well. The real supporters of East Bengal, when there is a setback and when there is a promising season, they stick with the team.” A statement that could spark strong reactions.
Highlighting the importance of the match, The Red and Gold brigade must stay focused and convert their chances, as they created more opportunities in the last two games but failed to secure three points. The head coach believes the upcoming fixtures will be crucial in the Indian Super League, with the team aiming to collect four to six points from the next two matches to strengthen their position in the league table.
Despite a difficult phase, Kerala Blasters FC head coach David Catala believes his team is moving in the right direction. The Yellow Army created several chances in their previous clash but failed to convert them into goals. With the clash against East Bengal FC ahead, the focus remains on improving finishing and helping the players regain confidence as they look to turn performances into results in the Indian Super League.
Based on the matchday minus-one training session, the expected starting eleven of East Bengal FC could see Youssef Ezzejjari and Edmund Lalrindika in attack. The midfield may consist of Saul Crespo, Miguel, Rashid and Bipin Singh, while the defence could feature Mohammad Rakip, Anwar, Jeakson Singh and Nunga, with Prabhsukhan Gill in goal. This combination was seen training together during the minus-one session, although changes are possible. Winger PV Vishnu could also be used at left-back in place of Nunga, as he has been tried in that role in recent training sessions. Otherwise, Saul may start on the bench and come on later in the match.
All eyes will be on the contest, as the match will be a crucial battle as both teams look to improve their position in the league table.
Coaches View:
Oscar confident as squad strength returns ahead of crucial ISL clash!
Oscar Bruzon said
“The strength of our squad, slowly, is coming back. And tomorrow is going to be another opportunity to consolidate our position in the top five and finish in the ISL”.
Catala confident of strong response against East Bengal!
David Catala said
“We know that we are going to face East Bengal FC. They have been a good team. But I am pretty sure that we will have control over the action. We can have more of the ball. We can have chances to win tomorrow’s game. But we have to play with more intensity, with more energy than we did in previous games. But I am really positive about tomorrow”.
Watch East Bengal FC vs Kerala Blasters live on Sony Liv, streaming on Fancode app.
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