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#1 The long wait for an I-League title
With the All India Football Federation (AIFF) looking at a possible merger of the ISL and the I-League, this may well be the last chance for East Bengal to retain their long lost glory at the national stage by winning the I-League.
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East Bengal officials have often asserted that they want to play the ISL on their own terms and this may well happen in the 2018-19 season which leaves East Bengal with possibly one final opportunity to win the I-League which is in its most exciting phase with extreme competitiveness.
East Bengal have failed to win the national league in the last 14 years which comes on as an added pressure for the side. Fans have often staged protests showing discontentment with the officials and the players over several dismal seasons.
With arch rivals Mohun Bagan looking over their shoulders, the onus is now entirely on East Bengal to prove their mettle. With tickets rumored to be priced as low as possible, bigger turnouts are expected which can add to the team spirit of East Bengal.
The Red and Golds will kick off their I-League campaign next week when they host defending champions Aizawl FC.
