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Seeking their first win in six games, Bengaluru FC is poised to host Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium this Friday.
The Blues, currently occupying the ninth spot in the standings with just seven points to their name, are grappling with a series of disappointing performances. They have drawn four of their last five games, but a victory against the reigning ISL champions would propel them to sixth despite a relatively poor start to their campaign.
Simon Grayson has certainly been struggling to find the right combination for his starting lineup, having chopped and changed his team from the first gameweek. Despite these difficulties, the English tactician emphasized the necessity of improving his team’s intensity to garner support from the fans during the pre-match press conference.
"We know our home stadium is a special place for our supporters. We have to make sure that we play with intensity and character with and without the ball,” Grayson said. "We have to play with purpose and tempo and give the fans our best performance that our ability allows us to."
Meanwhile, Mumbai City FC, having last played an ISL game a month ago, are on the back of three consecutive defeats in the AFC Champions League. Despite their disappointing performance on the continental stage, their domestic campaign has started on a positive note.
With three victories and two draws in five games, they currently hold the fifth position in the table. A win against Bengaluru would elevate them above Odisha FC, with the added advantage of having several games in hand over the teams positioned higher.
The Islanders are on the verge of appointing Petr Kratky, the current assistant coach of Melbourne City FC, as their new head coach. However, until the official appointment, Anthony Fernandes will assume the role of head coach.
Acknowledging the challenges posed by a packed schedule, Fernandes emphasized the significance of a deep squad with quality players to navigate through the upcoming fixtures.
"We play six games in twenty-four days. This is where a big and fit squad is what helps you to go around these matches. We have been fortunate that all of our players are available for the selections except for Yoell van Nieff. This is going to be a key thing in these twenty-four days. We will take one step at a time."
Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC: Head-to-head record
Games played: 14
Bengaluru FC wins: 7
Mumbai City FC wins: 6
Draws: 1
Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC: Top goalscorers this season
Bengaluru FC: Sunil Chhetri (3), Curtis Main (2)
Mumbai City FC: Jorge Pereyra Diaz (5), Greg Stewart (1)
Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC: tats and numbers from the 2023-24 Indian Super League season
Most saves: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (23- BFC), Mohammad Nawaz (8 - MCFC)
Most shots per 90: Vikram Pratap Singh (5.5 - MCFC), Curtis Main (2.4 - BFC)
Most chances created: Greg Stewart (11 - MCFC), Naorem Roshan Singh (8 - BFC)
Most clearences: Aleksander Jovanovic (28 - BFC), Tiri (15 - MCFC)
