Bengaluru: The moment of truth has arrived for Bengaluru FC in the ongoing ISL as the last year’s runners-up face their nemesis and reigning champions Mohun Bagan at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday.
The outcome against the table-toppers, who are demolising any force in their way, will answer the question if coach Renedy Singh-helmed side is a title contender or a pretender.
Placed sixth with seven points in four matches, Bengaluru FC have not convinced many in their bid for a second ISL title. Last week’s scrappy 2-1 victory over bottom-placed Mohammedan SC only added further questions than answers.
While the first-half offensive show with Sunil Chhetri returning to the line-up was a big positive, the defensive struggles in the second half, as admitted by the head coach, made all the worries apparent as the team somehow held on to its lead from the first half.
Worryingly, all of the seven points from five games for them came against clubs currently ranked below them and a formidable force like Bagan, who have won all of their four matches by at least a two-goal margin, won’t offer many freebies.
While almost all of the ISL clubs were hit badly by the period of turmoil in Indian football, the cash-rich MBSG seems to be left unscathed with all of their big foreign names and national players from last season still in the squad.
Such is the depth of the team that national team players like Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh, Asish Rai among others are starting from the bench.
However, it’s the attack-all-cost approach of their coach of big repute Sergio Lobera — led by the Aussie attacking trifecta of Jason Cummings, Dimitri Petratos and Jamie Maclaren — that will be the biggest headache of coach Renedy when the match kicks off.
Maclaren looks too hot to handle at this point for BFC defence as the 32-year-old striker has scored in all matches so far, including a quarter of goals against Odisha FC in 5-1 mauling last week.
BFC will still take solace from the fact that MBSG are also humans and haven’t faced a top-six team in their campaign yet. Their new wide forward Ashique Kuruniyan, whom they signed from their very rival last off-season, is all pumped up after scoring his debut Bengaluru goal last week.
“I’m very excited to play against Mohun Bagan because I’ve spent a few good years with them, and after all, they are my friends. So yes, I’m pumped to play against Mohun Bagan here in Bengaluru,” said the 28-year-old technically-gifted winger.