What’s the story?
The All India Football Federation(AIFF) has confirmed the dates of the Bengal derby, which will be played on the 12th of February and the 9th of April. The derby is one of the biggest matches in the Indian footballing schedule and has almost always decided the fate of the I-League.
The first derby will be played at the Kanchanjungha Stadium in Siliguri while the next one will be played at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata.
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The derby pits East Bengal and Mohun Bagan against each other, two clubs without whom it is impossible to imagine Indian football. These historic clubs enjoy a bitter rivalry, and have pocketed five national league titles between them.
With the I-League having kicked off from the 7th of January this year, fans of both sides were eagerly waiting for the governing body to finalise the dates of this eagerly awaited clash. The game at Siliguri will see East Bengal play as the home side while the reverse fixture at Kolkata will hand over the advantage to Mohun Bagan.
The heart of the matter
The Bengal giants typically confront each other several times in a campaign, but this season has been an exception with neither of the sides having faced each other so far.
The Mariners backed out of the derby in the Calcutta Football League last August citing problems with the pitch and lack of preparation, which saw the Red and Gold brigade not only pocket all 3 points, but also eventually the league title.
Also read: I-League 2017: ISL and I-League won't merge this year, reveals AIFF president Praful Patel
As such, the Bagan fans have been subjected to taunts from their counterparts all year long, and they will be desperate to showcase their team’s mettle come February.
What’s next?
Before the 5th round of I-League fixtures, Mohun Bagan lead the table with 12 points from four games while East Bengal are second with 10 points from the same number of games. It is likely that the race for the championship will eventually boil down to these two and Bengaluru FC, so it is extremely important for both the clubs to register a win in the big game, not only to garner the bragging rights but also three vital points.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Having won the Federation Cup last season, Mohun Bagan will also be playing in the AFC Cup this year. In fact, they have a high voltage clash against Colombo FC in the cup just five days before the derby, so it will be interesting to see how coach Sanjoy Sen handles all the demands and expectations.
As for East Bengal, they will look to go into the game with nothing but victory on their minds since this may well be the last chance to end their I-League trophy drought. Bring it on, we say!
