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What's the story?
The ISL 2017 match between Kerala Blasters and Bengaluru FC on New Year's Eve will go ahead as scheduled, the city police officials confirmed. The news will come as music to the ears of the Kerala fans who are looking forward to their derby game against rivals Bengaluru.
There were plenty of concerns about the effective implementation of security inside the city on December 31st but it seems like the police have now found a solution, much to the delight of the fans who will be looking to celebrate the New Year on a high.
A source close to the team has confirmed to Sportskeeda that the match will go on ahead as scheduled after talks with the Kerala Police, who ensured that adequate security measures will be put in place at the stadium for the match.
In case you didn't know...
Ever since Bengaluru FC confirmed their participation in the ISL a few months ago, both sets of fans have engaged themselves in healthy banter as well as aiming digs at each other whenever possible.
The encounter on the 31st of December will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides and it is quite easily one of the biggest fixtures in their calendar without the shadow of a doubt.
Nothing short of a spectacular battle is expected on New Year's Eve at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium simply due to the rivalry and competitive aura surrounding the fixture, generated by none other than the fans.
The heart of the matter
The famous New Year celebration carnival in Fort Kochi had mounted a serious doubt over the smooth functioning of the derby game but the city police have now confirmed to the club that they will manage both events simultaneously without compromising on any factor.
What's next?
The Kerala Blasters, who are yet to taste victory this season, will take on NorthEast United tomorrow before their derby game while Bengaluru will be travelling to the Balewadi Stadium in Pune to take on FC Pune City.
Author's take
A brave decision from the police officials to go ahead with the game considering the fact that tempers are expected to flare but the news will come as a huge relief to both sets of fans as they prepare for the blockbuster fixture.
