East Bengal FC face Kuwaiti giants Al Arabi SC in a crucial AFC Champions League Two qualifier, with a place in the group stage at stake.

Kolkata, August 11: The day has finally arrived. East Bengal FC, the champions of India, are set to play their AFC Champions League Two qualifier against Kuwaiti side Al Arabi SC tomorrow at 7:00 PM at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The winner of the match will advance directly to the AFC Champions League Two group stage, while the losing side will move into the AFC Challenge League group stage. It is another important night as the Indian champions look to make their mark on the continental stage.

Know the Opponent:
The Kuwaiti side, Al Arabi SC, finished second in the Kuwait league last season. They arrived in India five days ago and had three days of training before completing their final preparations for the match. With six foreign players in the squad, a new head coach in charge, and six to eight national team players in their ranks, Al Arabi have arrived in India with a strong squad.

Croatian head coach Goran Salbic took charge of the club in July. He was also a former teammate of former India national team head coach Igor Stimac. Al Arabi also have East Bengal FC midfielder Mohammad Rashid’s former teammate, Zahid, in their squad. However, knowing the player closely may not be much of an advantage, as Zahid is not fully fit and is not expected to start the match.

Before coming to India, Al Arabi spent three weeks training in Turkey and played more than six pre-season matches, including one against Pyramids FC, where they faced one of the most talked-about Egyptian players after the World Cup, Mostafa Zico.

Having analysed East Bengal very well and showing respect for their opponents, Goran said that Al Arabi have come prepared and will be strong enough to face the Indian champions.

Al Arabi head coach Goran Sablic expects a difficult battle against East Bengal FC in tomorrow’s AFC Champions League Two qualifier. Having analysed their opponents carefully, Sablic acknowledged East Bengal’s quality and the strength of their squad, attacking mindset while insisting that his side is well prepared after three weeks of training in Turkey and ready for the challenge ahead.

The Home Side: East Bengal FC
For East Bengal FC, this is more than just another continental fixture. The Indian champions are ready to step onto the AFC stage in front of their home supporters, with a place in the AFC Champions League Two group stage at stake. After a long wait to return to the top of Indian football, East Bengal now have the opportunity to test themselves against Al Arabi SC and take another important step on the continental stage.

With a new-look team and head coach Antonio Habas joining a months ago, along with several new foreign signings, East Bengal are stepping into a new phase. Their sixth foreign signing is yet to be completed, while new Spanish defender Nacho Monsalve has been ruled out with an injury and Effiong is yet to join the team.

After more than 25 days of training and three matches in the ongoing Durand Cup, this is how the Red and Gold have arrived at this important continental challenge.

Antonio Habas was clear that the preparation has not been ideal, with very little time to get ready for such an important game. With only a short training session, he knows the players have to be ready to compete from the first minute. For him, everyone must have the same chance to fight for a place and contribute, but at the same time, the team cannot afford to play without thinking.

The East Bengal head coach also stated, the need to play with intelligence. With a place in the AFC Champions League Two group stage at stake, he wants his players to stay in the right position, remain motivated and compete with confidence. Despite the limited preparation, Habas made it clear that the target is simple, East Bengal have to go for the win.

With everything ready for the big night, East Bengal now have to turn their preparation, experience and home advantage into action. Al Arabi will arrive with their own plans, but the Red and Gold know what is at stake. The match will decide who moves into the AFC Champions League Two group stage and who drops into the AFC Challenge League. For the Indian champions, tomorrow is a chance to take another step forward and show that their return to the top can also be followed by a strong start on the continental stage.

Coaches View:

Everyone must compete. The target is only one — win.” said Antonio Habas.

“Everyone must compete. We have to play the match with the intelligence necessary for the win. This is more important tomorrow. We have to win the match. And we have to be motivated for win, we have to compete”.

“We believe in ourselves” before steeping to the do or die clash said Al Arabi head coach Goran Salbic.

“Our preparation is very good. Definitely expecting a difficult game, we are ready. But we are here to focus on football, not on atmosphere. Like I said, we are ready. We prepared very good in Turkey. And tomorrow we will see, we analyzed it carefully, we know that the team is very good. The team had very good players, attacking with confidence. But we are also good. We believe in ourselves”.

Kick off at 7:00 PM. Match will be live streaming on Fancod app.