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The 2021-22 season of the Indian Super League will take place on 19 November at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa.
While ATK Mohun Bagan missed out on the title last season, Kerala Blasters finished second on the standings. However, with a lot of stakes in the upcoming match as well, both sides will aim to score three points and start their campaign on a high.
ATK Mohun Bagan have won two of their last five competitive matches, lost two and shared the spoils, including a 1–2 loss to Mumbai City FC in the final of the ISL’s last stint. After which, ATK Mohun Bagan have been pretty consistent in the 2021 AFC Cup, until they suffered a humiliating 0-6 defeat against Nasaf FC in the Inter-Zonal semi-final.
Kerala Blasters have failed to register a win in each of their last five matches in the ISL, which justifies why they finished 10th last season with just three wins in the entire season. Even though the Tuskers competed in the 2021 Durand Cup, they fielded a second-string team that crashed in the group stage itself.
Unlike some teams in the ISL, the ATK Mohun Bagan side has made few but significant changes to their roster ahead of the new season. The emptiness created by the departure of Arindam Bhattacharja was done about Amarinder Singh. Although it will be difficult to find a replacement for Sandesh Jhingan, Sumeet is his best bet to fill in Rathi’s shoes. Adding Liston Colaco to the wings and Hugo Baumus in the playmaking zone pushes the star-studded team even further.
Antonio López Habas is unlikely to change his formation, which he used in most of the AFC Cup games earlier this year, with Fijian striker Roy Krishna leading the attack. However, with Baumus and Tiri expected to make a debut, it will be a tough call to shortlist their fourth overseas among options like David Williams and 2020 Euro Cup star Joni Cauco. At present, there is no worry of anyone getting injured in Bagan Camp.
Known for playing a conservative brand of football, it will be very interesting to see if the Spaniard follows the same path, especially in the presence of Baumus and Colaco, both of whom are known to play a delectable brand of football.
After a disastrous performance last season, the Blasters have made a complete overhaul in the overseas department. The signing of former Chennaiyin FC star Enes Sipovic and Croat Marko Leskovic have made their intentions clear about their central defence, after scoring 36 goals last season. Meanwhile, Indian stars like Nishu Kumar, skipper Jessel Carnerio and Sanjeev Stalin will be more than dominant in full-back positions.
Goal scoring is also a concern for the Tuskers, with management bolstering their squad with veteran winger Adrian Luna, who recently won the A-League title to Melbourne City FC and guiding Argentine striker Jorge Pereira Diaz on loan. did. New recruit Adrian Luna will light up the playmaking arena with veteran Harmanjyot Singh Khabra, while players such as Sahal Abdul Samad, Jackson Singh and Sathiyan Singh will play supporting roles. There is no worry of anyone getting injured in the Blasters camp so far.
Despite fielding quality players, Kerala Blasters have failed to deliver when it matters the most, which is where Serbian head coach Ivan Vukamanovic comes in. Having been in charge of teams like Standard Lige and Slovene Bratislava, the strategist will use his experience to mold. The team, which has not played much football together, forms a proficient unit as the season progresses.
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