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Fresh from their victory over Punjab FC, title challengers Mohun Bagan SG are poised to face Bengaluru FC in a crucial ISL game at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday, April 11.
While Mohun Bagan are engaged in an intense title battle with Mumbai City FC, Bengaluru FC were eliminated from the competition following their defeat to East Bengal FC. It has been a disappointing season for the Blues, who have been winless away from home.
Nevertheless, they boast a strong home record, one of the best in the division, so Bagan can certainly anticipate a tough challenge. Additionally, Bengaluru have nothing to lose, granting them the freedom to express themselves and end their season on a positive note.
Head coach Gerard Zaragoza believes this game holds significance as well, and expressed that they will give it their all against an in-form Mohun Bagan side.
"It’s still an important game for us even though we are out of the playoff race,” Zaragoza said in the pre-match press conference. “In front of our supporters, this season we have lost only one match at home. We have a nice home record, and since I took over, we have four clean sheets, and our idea against Mohun Bagan SG is to take the three points."
In the meantime, following a surprising defeat to Chennaiyin FC just after the international break, Mohun Bagan SG bounced back with a vital 1-0 victory over Punjab FC last week. This victory kept them in the title race, as they currently trail Mumbai City FC by five points. They are set to face their rivals on Monday, April 15, in what could potentially be a title showdown in Kolkata.
Antonio Habas’ men will approach today's match with confidence, having suffered only one loss in their last 10 games. With the stakes at their peak, he will certainly anticipate his team to deliver their best performance.
"The pressure is the same. You never know. They don’t have to fight for the playoff spot but have to fight for their pride and for their supporters to finish their season strongly. So we don’t know if they’ll be more dangerous or less dangerous. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have anything to play for. Our commitment is to get the three points,” Mohun Bagan SG assistant coach Manuel Cascallana said ahead of the game.
Bengaluru FC vs Mohun Bagan SG: Head-to-head record
Matches played: 17
BFC wins: 6
MBSG wins: 8
Draws: 3
Result in the reverse fixture: Mohun Bagan SG 1-0 Bengaluru FC
Bengaluru FC vs Mohun Bagan SG: Top goalscorers in the 2023-24 ISL season
Bengaluru FC: Javi Hernandez (5 goals in 20 games)
Mohun Bagan SG: Dimitri Petratos (10 goals in 18 games)
Bengaluru FC vs Mohun Bagan SG: Stats and numbers from the 2023-24 Indian Super League season
Most saves: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (66), Vishal Kaith (39)
Most assists: Sunil Chhetri (3), Manvir Singh (6)
Most shots per 90 minutes: Sunil Chhetri (2.6), Armando Sadiku (4.5)
Most clearances: Aleksandar Jovanovic (67), Hector Yuste (66)
