ISL 2018-19: 5 Reasons why Bengaluru FC can win the title

#4 A strong midfield engine room

Dimas Delgado will be expected to control games in the Bengaluru midfield

Erik Paartalu and Dimas Delgado both signed contract extensions in the off-season, and for Bengaluru fans, there was not much that could top the news that their midfield engine room would be staying intact for the new season as well.

Dimas and Paartalu compliment each other really well in the middle of the park and will be arguably even more important to Bengaluru's fortunes than Miku and Chhetri.

Paartalu offers a fantastic screen in front of a Bengaluru defence, that has been weakened by the losses of key players from last season, John Johnson and Subhasish Bose. The big Aussie is almost impenetrable in the air and has the fantastic ability to read the play and make crucial tackles and interceptions.

Dimas, on the other hand, is a typical Spanish central midfield. He is a wizard on the ball, with his vision and trickery enabling him to dictate the flow of games from the centre of the park. Last season, especially after the departure of Edu Garcia to China, Dimas stepped up massively and won games single-handedly from the midfield.

Dimas's threat from set-pieces will also be crucial to Bengaluru, whose new coach was the mastermind of their set-piece strategy which brought them plenty of goals last season. Paartalu was the chief contributor from dead-ball situations, with three headed goals in the ISL.