Bengaluru FC will lock horns with Hyderabad FC in the second semi-final of the Durand Cup 2022 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday, September 15. The match will kick off at 6:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).

Under new manager Simon Grayson, Bengaluru FC pipped Odisha FC in a thrilling quarter-final encounter to advance to the last four of Asia’s oldest football tournament.

Fijian international Roy Krishna netted a 121st-minute winner to help Bengaluru FC secure a 2-1 win over a 10-man Odisha FC outfit at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK) on Saturday. After the match ended in a goalless draw in normal time, Shivashakti Narayan opened the scoring for the Blues in the 97th minute of the extra-time before Odisha FC forward Diego Mauricio equalised in the 115th minute of the game.

Earlier, Bengaluru FC finished second in the Group A standings with eight points from four matches, two points behind toppers Mohammedan Sporting to qualify for the quarter-finals. 

BFC registered two wins and as many draws in their four group matches. While Simon Grayson’s men started the campaign with a 2-1 victory over Jamshedpur FC, they followed it up by thrashing Indian Air Force 4-0 in their second match of the tournament. The Sunil Chhetri-led side later drew against FC Goa (2-2) and Mohammedan (1-1) in their final two group games.

On the other hand, reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions Hyderabad FC beat Rajasthan United 3-1 in their quarter-final clash to storm into the Durand Cup 2022 semi-finals.

Hyderabad FC star forward Bartholomew Ogbeche opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Uruguayan Martin Chavez converted a penalty to equalise for Rajasthan in the 29th minute. Later, Akash Mishra gave Hyderabad the lead followed by an important strike by Javier Siverio to guide the Nizams to a convincing 3-1 win.

Led by manager Manolo Márquez, Hyderabad FC earlier finished at the top of the Group C standings to secure their place in the quarter-finals. Having registered three wins and one defeat, Hyderabad FC ended the group stage with nine points from four matches, two points ahead of second-placed Chennaiyin FC. Hyderabad FC have defeated TRAU (2-0), Chennaiyin FC (3-1) and NEROCA (3-0) before being stunned by Army Red (0-1).

Bengaluru FC vs Hyderabad FC head-to-head

Hyderabad FC have a slight edge over Bengaluru FC in the head-to-head record, winning two of the six matches that they have played so far. Bengaluru have managed just a solitary victory while three matches have ended in draws.

The last time these two sides met, Hyderabad FC defeated Bengaluru FC 2-1 in an Indian Super League encounter at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa in February this year.

Bengaluru FC: 1

Hyderabad FC: 2

Draws: 3

Where to watch Bengaluru FC vs Hyderabad FC Durand Cup 2022 semi-final live in India?

The Bengaluru FC vs Hyderabad FC Durand Cup 2022 semi-final match will be telecast live from 6:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the Sports18 1, Sports 18 1HD and Sports18 Khel TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the Bengaluru FC vs Hyderabad FC Durand Cup 2022 semi-final match will be available on the Voot app and JioTV.

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Featured photo: Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC have bolstered their attacking options with the signature of striker Roy Krishna from ATK Mohun Bagan, the club announced on Monday.

Krishna, who captains Fiji and has the most goals and appearances for his country, previously turned out for ATK FC and ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League (ISL). His Bengaluru deal will see him stay put with the Blues until 2024, with the option of a contract extension to his two-year deal.

“I’m really excited to join Bengaluru FC. I had conversations with the coach (Simon Grayson) when I was in the early stages of negotiations, and he really convinced me that I would have an impact at the club. I’ve always admired the way Bengaluru played and organized itself over the years that I’ve played in India,�?Krishna said upon his arrival.

“When we played against Bengaluru FC, they have always been a tough opponent and we knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park. We had a different strategy when taking on BFC. From the start I’ve had a good impression of the club, but it took some time to finalize the move as I had to factor in my family. I’m really pleased with how well things have worked so far, and I’m glad that I don’t have to worry about taking on Bengaluru FC as an opponent, and that I get to be part of the BFC legacy,�?he added.

After beginning his career with local side Labasa as a teenager, Krishna made his first move abroad in 2008, joining New Zealand Football Championship side Waitakere United. In six seasons with Waitakere, Krishna scored 55 goals in 75 appearances and picked up the NZFC Golden Boot in 2012-13.

Following a short stint at Auckland City, where he became the first Fijian to score at the finals of a FIFA tournament by netting against Raja Casablanca in a playoff of the FIFA Club World Cup, Krishna moved again, this time to Australia where he joined Wellington Phoenix.

At Phoenix, Krishna was named the Players�?Player of the Year in 2017-18, Player of the Year in 2018-19 and with 18 goals, won the A-League Golden Boot in 2018-19. Krishna is the Phoenix’s all-time leading goalscorer with 51 goals, and his record of 18 goals in a single A-League season has not been matched by any other Phoenix player.

In three seasons in the Indian Super League, Roy Krishna has 36 goals and 18 assists and was joint top-scorer in the ISL in 2019-20 (15 goals, ATK) and 2020-21 (14 goals, ATK Mohun Bagan).

“We wanted to bring Roy to Bengaluru FC the moment we knew he was available. There were a host of clubs within the League and outside who were in the running to sign him, and I am delighted that we were able to get this over the line," said Parth Jindal, club director of Bengaluru FC.

"We want to bring BFC back to where it belongs, and this signing is as big a statement of intent as can be. Roy’s work ethic, eye for goal and records are phenomenal, and we’re all excited to see how he teams up with Sunil and the rest of the squad. I’m certain that our fans feel the same way; they were excited when the rumours linking Roy to BFC started floating, and I’m happy to tell them that we’ve got our man,�?he added.

“Krishna is a big signing for the football club and one that I’m delighted we have made. Roy has proven over the years what a fantastic footballer and goalscorer he has been, and his experience and know-how in the Indian Super League will also prove to be a big plus for us. I am certain that the younger players on our team will be able to learn much from working with him and Sunil both on and off the pitch,�?said Bengaluru FC head coach Simon Grayson.

On the international front, Roy Krishna - an ambassador for the Oceania Football Confederation - has represented Fiji at the U20 and U23 levels before making his debut for the senior national team at the 2007 South Pacific games.

His opening goal against Mexico at the 2016 Rio Olympics is Fiji’s first and only goal at the Olympic games. With 31 goals in 45 appearances, Krishna leads the charts for goals and appearances for his country.

Krishna, an ISL champion with ATK FC, is Bengaluru FC’s sixth signing of the season, following the arrivals of Javi Hernandez, Prabir Das, Faisal Ali, Amrit Gope and Hira Mondal.

Featured photo: AFP / PUNIT PARANJPE

The race for the Golden Boot in the Indian Super League was kicked-off by ATK Mohun Bagan attacking midfielder Hugo Boumous in the ISL 2021-22 season curtain-raiser against Kerala Blasters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Friday, November 19.

How the ISL golden boot award is determined 

The Golden Boot, given to the ISL top scorer at the end of a season, is one of the most prestigious individual awards in India's premier football league.

According to the previous ISL rules, if multiple players accumulate the same number of goals, the player with a higher assist count is handed the award. In the unlikely scenario of a deadlock in the assist count as well, the player who has played the least minutes that season will be awarded the coveted prize.

Former FC Goa striker Igor Angulo won the Golden Boot in ISL 2020-21, having scored 14 goals.

Last season, the top scorer would be determined by minutes per goal and the practice will continue in the latest edition of India's premier football competition.

Check | Golden Boot winners from every ISL season

ISL top scorer for 2021-22: Golden Boot award contenders

Hyderabad FC forward Bartholomew Ogbeche bagged the ISL 2021-22 Golden Boot award with 18 goals from 20 matches. ISL's all-time top scorer was followed by Greg Stewart of Jamshedpur FC with 10 goals and 10 assists.

Among the homegrown players, ATK Mohun Bagan's Liston Colaco surprised one and all with his amazing displays. The 23-year-old forward netted eight times this season and has also provided five assists.

ISL top scorer 2021-22 rankings

Player	Matches	Goals	Assists
Bartholomew Ogbeche - Hyderabad FC	20	18	1
Greg Stewart - Jamshedpur FC	21	10	8
Igor Angulo - Mumbai City FC	19	10	2
Cleiton Silva - Bengaluru FC	19	9	3
Daniel Chukwu - Jamshedpur FC	21	9	1

Feature photo: ISL Media

Nigerian striker Bartholomew Ogbeche and retired Canadian star Ian Hume share the record for most hat-tricks in Indian Super League.

Hume, who represented Kerala Blasters, Atlético de Kolkata and Pune City, hit his first hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Mumbai City FC in the 2015 edition. His second triple strike came just 26 days later in Atlético de Kolkata’s 4-1 triumph over Pune City.

Ian Hume’s third and final hat-trick came in the 2017-18 season as he inspired Kerala Blasters to a 3-1 win against Delhi Dynamos.

Hume’s feat of most hat-tricks in Indian Super League (3) would later be matched by Bartholomew Ogbeche with his hat-trick in the ISL 2021-22 season.

Bartholomew Ogbeche, the all-time leading goalscorer in the Indian Super League, recorded his three hat-tricks with three different clubs. In the 2018-19 season, the 37-year-old Nigerian forward initiated NorthEast United’s counter-attack in their 4-3 win over Chennaiyin FC with his triple strike.

His next hat-tricks came in Kerala Blasters�?3-6 loss to Chennaiyin FC (ISL 2019-20) and Hyderabad FC’s 4-0 win against SC East Bengal (ISL 2021-22).

Indian national football team captain Sunil Chhetri is the only homegrown player to have scored a hat-trick in the Indian Super League. Chhetri is among the six players with two hat-tricks in the tournament.

Andre Moritz, the first player to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League, leads the list of 13 players with a solitary triple strike in the ISL.

Most hat-tricks in Indian Super League

Player	Hat-tricks	Last hat-trick date
Ian Hume	3	January 10, 2018
Bartholomew Ogbeche		January 24, 2022
Stiven Mendoza	2	November 21, 2015
Dudu Omagbemi		November 26, 2016
Coro		December 9, 2017
Marcelinho		December 30, 2017
Sunil Chhetri		March 11, 2018
Modou Sougou		February 22, 2019
Andre Moritz	1	October 18, 2014
Thongkhosiem Haokip		November 17, 2015
Reinaldo		November 29, 2015
Diego Forlán		November 19, 2016
Seiminlen Doungel		January 19, 2018
Roy Krishna		February 8, 2020
Manuel Onwu		February 23, 2020
Bipin Singh		February 24, 2021
Greg Stewart		December 14, 2021
Deshorn Brown		December 27, 2021
Kiyan Nassiri		January 29, 2022
Jorge Ortiz		February 9, 2022
Airam Cabrera		March 6, 2022

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: Twitter / Indian Super League

ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) will take on defending champions Mumbai City FC (MCFC) in a mouth-watering Indian Super League 2021-22 clash at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa on Wednesday, December 1.

ATKMB vs MCFC Dream11 prediction

Under manager Antonio López Habas, ATK Mohun Bagan have looked the most dominant side in the ongoing edition of ISL, beating Bengaluru FC 4-2 and thrashing arch-rivals SC East Bengal 3-0 in their first two matches of the season.

On the other hand, Mumbai City FC suffered a shocking 1-3 defeat to Hyderabad FC after starting the new campaign with a clinical 3-0 win over FC Goa.

The Islanders beat the Mariners 2-1 in the ISL 2020-21 final to claim their maiden title. Mumbai City also defeated ATK Mohun Bagan in both league matches last season and currently have a 3-0 head-to-head record against them.

However, ATK Mohun Bagan have bolstered their squad from last season and will start as favourites against Mumbai City FC in a repeat of last season’s final.

ATKMB vs MCFC Dream11 team tips for Indian Super League 2021-22

Top tip: Best forward

ATK Mohun Bagan captain Roy Krishna is undoubtedly one of the best foreign players to have ever played in ISL. The 34-year-old has netted 31 goals and also provided 15 assists in 46 ISL matches so far. He has continued his impressive form in ISL 8, scoring two goals and bagging one assist in two matches. The Fiji national team striker is likely to trouble the Mumbai CIty FC defence on Wednesday.

Top tip: Best midfielder

Ahmed Jahouh has been one of the standout midfielders in ISL since completing his move from Moroccan club Moghreb Tetouan in the 2017-18 season. The 33-year-old footballer was instrumental in helping Mumbai City FC clinch the title last season. Jahouh scored against Hyderabad FC on Sunday and will once again look to control the tempo of the game against a strong ATK Mohun Bagan outfit.

Top tip: Best defender and goalkeeper

ATK Mohun Bagan defender Pritam Kotal has been impressive in the first two ISL matches so far. Playing at right-back, Kotal has provided decisive crosses and also defended well when required. The India international has bagged one assist and also made six clearances and four blocks in ISL 8. He will play an important role for the Mariners at Fatorda.

Between the sticks, Mumbai City FC’s Mohammad Nawaz is expected to be busier than ATK Mohun Bagan’s Amrinder Singh. Nawaz will need to bring his A-game and make decisive saves against the likes of Roy Krishna, Hugo Boumous and Liston Colaco to keep the Mariners quiet. Since he will be in the line of fire, Nawaz is expected to accumulate more fantasy points for your team through his saves.

ATKMB vs MCFC probable playing XI

ATKMB playing XI (probable): Amrinder Singh (goalkeeper), Pritam Kotal, Deepak Tangri, Carl McHugh, Subhasish Bose, Manvir Singh, Lenny Rodrigues, Liston Colaco, Hugo Boumous, Roy Krishna (captain), Joni Kauko

MCFC playing XI (probable): Mohammad Nawaz (goalkeeper), Mohamad Rakip, Rahul Bheke, Mourtada Fall (captain), Amey Ranawade, Ahmed Jahouh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Raynier Fernandes, Cassinho, Bipin Singh, Igor Angulo

SportsAdda will bring you ATK Mohun Bagan FC vs Mumbai City FC live score.

Featured photo: ISL Media

Indian Super League side ATK Mohun Bagan renewed the contract of their coach Antonio Lopez Habas on Wednesday after the Spaniard led the side to a second-place finish in the 2020-21 season.

Apart from a second-place finish in the league phase, the Mariners also made it to the final of the tournament before losing out to eventual champions Mumbai City FC. And the management believes Habas is the right man to take the historic club forward.

"I am happy that the officials have kept faith in me and in our technical staff. It will inspire us all a lot before the AFC Cup. It will boost our morale," Habas said from Madrid to the Indian Super League website.  

"Our goal now is to bring success to the club at the international level. We are committed to upholding the trust of members, supporters and officials,�?he added.

Under Habas�?guidance, ATK Mohun Bagan remained one of the title contenders right through the season. They ended as the best defensive side in the league, conceding just 15 goals in 20 matches with Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan and Pritam Kotal striking up a formidable partnership.

#Mariners, we’ve got some great news for you!

We are delighted to announce that Coach Antonio Lopez Habas has signed a one-year contract extension with #ATKMohunBagan! ❤️#JoyMohunBagan #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/HpGKzcqlgz

�?ATK Mohun Bagan FC (@atkmohunbaganfc) March 31, 2021

Mariners�?star striker Roy Krishna ended ISL 2020-21 with 14 goals and 8 assists and rightly adjudged the 'Player of the Season'. ATK Mohun Bagan scored 28 goals in 20 matches in the ISL 2020-21 season. Though Michael Soosairaj's early injury took away lot of the sting from ATKMB's attack, the rise of Manvir Singh from the right flank was a delight for the fans.

Merging with ATK to become ATK Mohun Bagan last season, the rechristened ISL club didn’t see a drop in performance. Habas, who has previously won two ISL titles with ATK, managed a per game ratio of 1.91 in the recently concluded season, which is better than last season’s 1.90.

A second-place finish will see ATK Mohun Bagan compete in the qualifiers of the AFC Cup 2022 as well. Habas' most immediate task will be leading ATKMB in the AFC Cup group stages that start on May 14.

Feature Image Courtesy: Website/ ISL

Former FC Goa attacker Ferran Corominas and Hyderabad FC striker Bartholomew Ogbeche share the record for most goals by a player in one Indian Super League season.

The Nigerian forward Ogbeche netted his record-equalling 18th goal of the season in the 3-1 win over ATK Mohun Bagan in the semi-final first leg of ISL 2021-22. Interestingly, he is the record holder for the most hat-tricks in the Indian Super League.

Corominas, who was Indian Super League’s leading goal scorer for a considerable amount of time, got on the scoresheet in the very first game of the 2017-18 campaign against Chennaiyin FC, scoring once in a 3-2 win. The Spaniard netted 18 times in 20 appearances during the season as Goa reached the semi-final before being eliminated.

Goa won four of their first five matches that season and Coro scored eight goals during those outings, including two hat-tricks against Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters. After a midseason slump that saw Goa go on a five-match winless run, Coro returned to his best, scoring five goals in his team’s last three league stage games.

Coro came close to matching his tally from the 2017-18 season as he registered 16 goals in 20 appearances.

The 2019-20 ISL season was the most competitive among goal-scorers with as many as three players - Bartholomew Ogbeche, Roy Krishna and Nerijus Valskis - finishing with 15 goals. The Golden Boot, however, was awarded to Valskis since the Lithuanian had more assists to his name.

A couple of seasons before the aforementioned trio battled for the Golden Boot, former Bengaluru FC forward Miku had scored the same number of goals (15) in the 2017-18 ISL campaign. Riding on his return, the Blues reached the final and despite Miku’s 92nd-minute strike in the match, the Blues lost 2-3 to Chennaiyin FC.

Most goals by a player in one Indian Super League season

Player	Goals	Season	Team
Ferran Corominas	18	2017-18	FC Goa
Bartholomew Ogbeche	18	2021-22	Hyderabad FC
Ferran Corominas	16	2018-19	FC Goa
Bartholomew Ogbeche	15	2019-20	Kerala Blasters
Nerijus Valskis	15	2019-20	Chennaiyin FC
Roy Krishna	15	2019-20	ATK Mohun Bagan
Miku	15	2017-18	Bengaluru FC

 

Featured photo: ISL Media

ATK Mohun Bagan talisman Roy Krishna missed on the coveted Golden Boot award for the second season in a row but walked away with the Hero of the League award after the final of the Indian Super League 2020-21 edition.

The joint-highest goal scorer (1️⃣4️⃣) & assist provider (8️⃣) in #HeroISL 2020-21

Your Hero of the League winner - @RoyKrishna21 #HeroISLFinal #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/PuP5jlonqX

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 13, 2021

The latest season, with a whopping 115 matches, was brought to an entertaining close as Mumbai City FC - who won the League Winners Shield earlier this season - secured a 2-1 win over ATKMB to become just the second team, after Bengaluru FC in 2018-19, to finish on top of the league and win the final in the same edition.

The ISL 2020-21 season was the longest campaign in the history of the tournament and it had its rules amended for the top scorer for the seventh edition. According to the new rule, should there be two or more players who score the same amount of goals, the winner will be decided based on the goals per minute ratio.

As it turned out, FC Goa's Igor Angulo was adjudged as the Golden Boot winner as he netted 14 times from 21 games. His goals per minute ratio (117.50) was lower in comparison to Roy Krishna's 147.28.

Krishna's team-mate and ATK Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharja took home the Golden Glove ahead of Mumbai City FC's Amrinder Singh, on the basis of higher minutes per goal conceded (108.95). Both the custodians registered 10 clean sheets between sticks, but between the two, 31-year-old Arindam leaked just 19 goals as opposed to Amrinder's 21.

With clean sheets, @atkmohunbaganfc's @iArindamB takes home the Golden Glove Award for #HeroISL 2020-21 #HeroISLFinal #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/iJ6iV7Fb7a

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 13, 2021

Meanwhile, NorthEast United's Lalengmawia won the ISL Emerging Player of the League award following his impressive displays as a defensive midfielder. The 20-year-old registered 93 tackles and 46 interceptions in 22 games and had also won the Emerging Player of the Month award in February.

Lastly, FC Goa's Alberto Noguera won the Winning Pass of the League award for his tally of eight assists. He fought off competition from ATK Mohun Bagan's Roy Krishna - also eight assists - as the former had lower minutes per assist (191.62) than the latter (257.75).

Feature image courtesy: 2021 Indian Super League

A battle of ideologies and bragging rights awaits at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa, as two heavyweights in Mumbai City FC and ATK Mohun Bagan cross swords in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21 final on Saturday, March 13.

Sergio Lobera’s MCFC, who have scored 37 goals this term, reached their maiden final on the back of a hard-fought penalty shootout win over FC Goa in the semi-finals.

The Islanders�?last attempt to book a spot in an ISL final was in the 2015-16 season, where the now-defunct ATK won by a 3-2 aggregate in the semi-finals.

ATKMB, on the other hand, edged past Khalid Jamil’s NorthEast United FC with a 3-2 aggregate win and have secured a place in the final against a team they lost twice this season. However, given his 100 per cent record in ISL finals, Antonio Lopez Habas will be eager to spoil the party for his younger counterpart. 

Mumbai City FC squad

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Nishit Shetty, Vikram Singh, Phurba Lachenpa

Defenders: Mourtada Fall, Mandar Rao Dessai, Tondonba Singh, Sarthak Golui, Amey Ranawade, Mohamad Rakip, Mehtab Singh, Valpuiah

Midfielders: Ahmed Jahouh, Cy Goddard, Hugo Boumous, Herman Santana, Rowllin Borges, Farukh Choudhary, Raynier Fernandes, Bidyananda Singh, Asif Khan, Bipin Singh, Pranjal Bhumij, Sourav Das, Vikram Singh, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy

Forwards: Bartholomew Ogbeche, Adam le Fondre

ATK Mohun Bagan squad

Goalkeepers: Arindam Bhattacharja, Dheeraj Singh, Arsh Shaikh, Aryan Niraj Lamba, Avilash Paul

Defenders: Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan, Prabir Das, Pritam Kotal, Subhasish Bose, Sumit Rathi, Boris Singh Thangjam

Midfielders: Edu Garcia, Javier Hernandez, Carl McHugh, Michael Soosairaj, Jayesh Rane, Pronay Halder, Bradden Inman, Michael Regin, Sahil Sheikh, Ningombam Engson Singh, Md. Fardin Ali Molla, Lenny Rodriguez

Forwards: Roy Krishna, David Williams, Manvir Singh, Marcelinho

Mumbai City FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan predicted playing XI

Mumbai City FC playing XI: Amrinder Singh (GK); Amey Ranawade, Mourtada Fall, Hernan Santana, Mandar Rao Desai; Rowllin Borges, Ahmed Jahouh; Raynier Fernandes, Hugo Boumous, Bipin Singh; Bartholomew Ogbeche

ATK Mohun Bagan predicted playing XI: Arindam Bhattacharja (GK); Pritam Kotal, Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose; Javier Hernandez, Manvir Singh, Lenny Rodrigues; Roy Krishna, David Williams

Where to watch Mumbai City FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan ISL final live?

The Mumbai City FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan ISL final will be telecast live at 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 Hindi, as well as the respective HD TV channels in India.

MCFC vs ATKMB will also be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar and Jio TV. Get ISL live scores here.

Feature image courtesy: Indian Super League

While the Indian Super League (ISL) is fast approaching the end of its league stages as the knockout clashes start next month, UEFA Champions League is back with a host of mouth-watering fixtures in the mid-week.

Football fanatics have an enthralling week ahead of them and we are here to provide you with numbers that might just help you predict the outcomes.

ATK Mohun Bagan vs SC East Bengal

Their positions in the ISL points table might be far apart but the sense of intensity that a Kolkata derby evokes in any fixture doesn’t take into account the playoff chances of the teams. After ATKMB dominated the first-ever Kolkata Derby in ISL last year, their arch-rivals will look to make amends.

On paper, ATKMB are undoubtedly the stronger side with better players - most of whom have been playing together for long and are in form as well. Not only the team, but they also have a manager Antonio Lopez Habas at the helm who has already won the league title twice on previous occasions.

East Bengal, on the other hand, have become a more settled side by now, as opposed to the eleventh-hour assembled side that kick-started ISL in a terrible manner. However, despite their stable performances, their inability to close games and lack of experienced personnel makes them the second favourites.

East Bengal have won just three of the 17 matches that they have played, scoring 15 times and conceding 22 goals. The Mariners, on the other hand, have conceded just 10 goals (the lowest in the league) and have scored 23 goals (the fourth-highest).

Player to watch: Roy Krishna

The Fijian international is the prime contender for the Golden Boot now with 11 goals to his name already. After a rocky start to the season owing to less pre-season time, Roy Krishna is finally in the groove and his last goal for ATKMB against Jamshedpur FC was the proof. Playing more as a number 10, Krishna drops to the midfield to win balls and spray it to the flanks, which gives him more of the ball and take more attempts. He is expected to be the difference-maker on Friday, February 19.

Barcelona vs PSG

Barcelona might approach their UEFA Champions League knockout clash against Paris Saint-Germain at the back of a thumping 5-1 win over Alaves in La Liga, but the Catalans�?record against big teams this season will be the biggest cause of worry for Lionel Messi and Co.

 

The La Liga giants had ended their UCL group stages with a 3-0 home loss to Juventus, and have already been defeated by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in their domestic campaign. Furthermore, Barcelona’s underwhelming form in knockout events �?whether it be their recent 2-0 loss to Sevilla in the Cope del Rey semi-final first leg or the 3-2 loss to Athletic Club in the Supercopa de Espana �?has also hampered their season so far. Hence, Barca would hardly be the overwhelming favourites on Wednesday.

PSG, on the other hand, have shaken off their early-season jitters under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss has won eight of the 10 games he has been in charge and although Neymar won’t be available for selection for this big game, Kylian Mbappe and Co. would be optimistic about a positive result at the Camp Nou.

PSG’s concern, however, has been their inconsistency. While PSG have registered victories over teams like OGC Nice and Marseille, the giants have been stopped by the likes of FC Lorient and St. Etienne.

Player to Watch: Lionel Messi

The Barcelona talisman specializes in the European tournament, having scored 126 goals in 156 matches so far, and his lethal left foot is expected to strike the back of the net yet again, on Wednesday. Messi, who already has three goals and two assists this season in UCL, has faced PSG on eight occasions in the tournament, where he has scored four goals and provided one assist. Barcelona have won four and lost two of those matches.

Feature Image Courtesy: ISL