New Delhi: Mohun Bagan are yet to assemble their full squad but being record 17-time champions they wouldn’t want to view Durand Cup as a pushover tournament.
Up against them in their tournament opener on Thursday in Kolkata are old city rivals Mohammedan Sporting, who are multiple problems of their own, an acute shortage of cash being one of them.
Crippled by multiple transfer bans that have left them with a rag-tag squad, Mohammedan slumped to a 1-2 loss to debutants Diamond Harbour in their tournament opener.
Anything other than three points could be fatal for the Black and Whites, who have to improve markedly though their opponents are yet to begin preparations for the new season in the right earnest.
The Mariners have put together a junior side for the ongoing Calcutta Football League and plunged to a 2-3 loss to East Bengal.
Bagan to unleash India internationals
The look and feel of the team that lines up against Mohammedan would be markedly different as a host of their India internationals and first-team home grown players are being prepared to take the field.
Special attention will be on left back T Abhishek Singh, Bagan’s latest multi-crore signing who joined from Punjab FC on a transfer fee of around Rs 1.80 crore.
Suhail Bhat and Kiyan Nassiri will join the senior team after doing duty in their CFL squad for the East Bengal game.
New #7 on the block ⚽🔥#MBSG #JoyMohunBagan #আমরাসবুজমেরুন pic.twitter.com/IBB8KH9aSp
— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) July 29, 2025
But the Green and Maroons will be without any of their star foreign recruits and head coach Jose Molina, in the absence of whom his assistant Bastab Roy will be in charge of the boys.
They are expected to join up in the first week of August to begin preparations for their Asian Champions League group stage engagements, starting from mid-September.
Bagan, last year’s finalists, plan to gradually be at full strength as they progress through the tournament.
Kick-off: 7pm IST.
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