I-League 2017, East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: 5 stars who could miss out on the Kolkata Derby

Both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are tottering at the mid-position on the I-league 2017 points table. Granted they have just played one game in the competition, but both of them were successfully blocked from romping home with the maximum points on offer.

That too, after both the teams were leading - Mohun Bagan with one and East Bengal with two goals - against Minerva Punjab FC and Aizwal FC, respectively before they each had to settle for a draw.

One can say East Bengal are relatively better off between the two as they drew with last year’s champions. Still one really doesn’t’ expect the teams to take any prisoners.

And in order to do that, it is essential for the two sides to field their best players. However, not all the stars in the two Kolkata giants' side are set to play this crunch game. Here, we take a look at five such players, who could miss out on the biggest match in the Indian football calendar.

Diogo Ferreira | Mohun Bagan | Midfielder

One can understand the importance of an import when the team misses a player even before he has been tested for his services. One can very well understand it when one will know that Ferreira was absorbed into the FC Porto’s youth team on his first try.

This 5’ 11” defensive midfielder, who has appeared in the Australian Olympic team seven times and is Mohun Bagan’s fourth foreign signee. However, he has been ruled out due to an injury, will be greatly missed if East Bengal resort to the last game’s pressing play. Sadly, is is yet to play an I-League game for the Green and Maroons, and will miss out on his first Derby experience as well.

Yuta Kinowaki | Mohun Bagan | Midfielder

Yuta Kinowaki

This Japanese midfielder is no stranger to I-League, having played for the 2015 Aizawl FC team and in the 2016 Shillong Lajong team. Interestingly his debut was against Mohun Bagan in 2015, in which he played the full game, but saw his team lose that match by a score of 1-3.

Now, he had a chance to win it for the team he debuted against by specially combining with his ex-Lajong mate Asa Dipanda. Kinowaki, who has been suffering from injuries for the last few weeks, is said to have recovered. However, as he has not gotten much game time after recovery, the club is set to take a last-minute call on is availability for the game. Perhaps he would come off the bench in the Kolkata Derby.

Azharuddin Mallick | Mohun Bagan | Forward

Azharuddin Mallick

Both Yuta and Mallick have not been able to put in any game time for their club so far in this edition of the I-league. Truth be told, the absence of Mallick will be more paramount than the Japanese, despite Yuta having garnered a strong reputation as an able medio.

Last season, Mallick snatched a 2-1 victory against the Red and Golds with his well-placed lob. The fans still remember his brace in IFA Shield that won Mohun Bagan the match by a 2-1 margin against their arch-rivals.

His situation is a bit tricky. Azharuddin is also said to have recovered, but a recovery path from injury can be dicey, to say the least. He remains a doubtful case for the game.

Nikhi Poojary | East Bengal | Winger

Nikhil Poojary

In a contrast to Mallick, Poojary is absolutely certain of not playing. Not only that, it is also quite certain it would be a while before he gets a look in on the matchday turf. It has become a spot of bother quite literally for the coach, the player himself and the fans.

The supporters would want Poojary to reprise the dream debut game he had for Stephen Constantine’s team in the Tri-Nation series against Mauritius, in August. That can only happen if he takes to the field. This would be his second season for the Red and Golds. Even in his first season, he had a very few games. He might have a similar fate in his second season as well.

Arnab Mondal | East Bengal | Defender

Arnab Mondal

This must easily be the saddest story among the others. It is not any niggle that floored Mondal, but it was a reported spat with his coach, Khalid Jamil, that could well have grounded him.

From being declared the club captain, he has been relegated to become a certified non-starter. He was even left out of the 18-man matchday squad agianst Aizawl FC, on Tuesday. Mondal had left before Jamil could meet the team before the Aizawl game, either due to miscommunication or due to deliberateness, one is not sure. Jamil even had Mondal practice with the reserves, in the days leading up to the Derby.

Will this turn of events hamper the camaraderie and trigger a leadership deficiency of the team?. Only time can tell.