ISL 2023-24: Chennaiyin FC vs Bengaluru FC | Preview, Predicted lineup, injury news, H2H, telecast details

BFC won only one out of 9 games they played in ISL 2023-24.

In a highly anticipated clash in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season, Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC are set to face off at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on December 13th. The encounter carries added intrigue as Bengaluru FC finds itself in a state of transition, having recently parted ways with their head coach. Thus, the Blues from here on will be eager to turn the tide and regain their winning streak after failing to secure a win in their last six games.

On the other hand, Chennaiyin FC, who will host the match at their formidable Marina Arena, will be looking for their third victory of the season. As both teams strive for crucial points, the upcoming match promises to be a captivating battle between a team in transition and one seeking to assert its dominance.

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC’s 2023-24 ISL campaign has not started well. The Blues have only won one of their nine games this season, losing four and having draw in three. As a result, Bengaluru FC is presently ninth in the league standings, having only earned seven points from nine games. Also, due to a surprising change of events, they have recently parted ways with their head coach, Simon Grayson, and Renedy Singh is in control of the squad until the team finds a new coach to lead the rest of the season.

Bengaluru FC suffered their heaviest loss of the season in their last home match against the Islanders, falling 4-0 against Mumbai City. Prior to that, the Blues were forced to share the spoils in both of their games against Punjab and NorthEast, where despite being ahead on the scoreboard, the match did not end in their favor.

So, with Simon Grayson gone, the team will strive to pick up three points and get back on track as Bengaluru FC looks to turn things around before the season is halfway over. As the league gets closer to the playoffs, it’ll be interesting to see how Renedy Singh handles things as their new interim coach.

Chennaiyin FC

Under the guidance of Irish coach Owen Coyle, Chennaiyin FC has found it difficult to achieve their best outcomes in the ongoing Indian Super League 2023–24 season. In their nine games this season, they have only won two, lost four, and drawn three.

Therefore, the Marina Machans will aim to advance in the league standings by defeating the struggling Blues and obtaining three points at home.

The Marina Machans in their last three encounters had to share points against Jamshedpur FC, Ivan Vukomanovic’s Kerala Blasters and the Red and Gold Brigade. Prior to that they have faced a tough defeat against the Gaurs earlier in the season, where they went down 3-0, and failed to score any goals. This season, they defeated Punjab FC, scoring five goals, and also won against their outing with Hyderabad FC.

Injury & Team News

Chennaiyin FC is likely to field a fully fit roster with the availability of all players. Furthermore, Bengaluru FC will almost certainly have a complete roster, but Ryan Williams’ starting spot remains doubtful following his forced replacement due to a minor injury against NorthEast United. Aside from that, the Blues have no big injury concerns ahead of their away match against the Marina Machans.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches- 13

Bengaluru FC win- 7

Chennaiyin FC win- 3

Draw- 3

Predicted Lineups

Bengaluru FC (4-4-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Aleksandar Jovanovic, Namgyal Bhutia, Roshan Naorem Singh, Suresh Singh, Javi Hernandez, Rohit Kumar, Sunil Chhetri, Sivasakti, Slavko Damjanovic, Harsh Patre

Chennaiyin FC (4-2-3-1)

Debjit Majumder (GK), Ankit Mukherjee, Ryan Edwards, Aakash Sangwan, Bikash Yumnam, Cristian Damian Battocchio, Ayush Adhikari, Rafael Crivellaro, Farukh Choudhary, Rahim Ali, Connor Shields

Players to watch

Rafael Crivellaro (Chennaiyin FC)

Rafael Crivellaro rejoined Chennaiyin FC during the summer transfer window, fueling the support base and serving as a driving force behind the team’s comeback in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023–24 season. Getting back together with his previous coach Owen Coyle, with whom he had incredible success in the 2019/20 season, Crivellaro’s addition to the team had really proven to be worthy for the Marina Machans in terms of attacking wise till now in the current season.

The Brazilian maestro currently has the most number of assists in the league and Crivellaro’s influence extends beyond the scoring system. Though he hasn’t scored in open play yet, his set-piece abilities have been on display, as goals from a penalty kick and a free kick have significantly increased the team’s total.

Rohit Kumar (Bengaluru FC)

Rohit Kumar appeared in eight Indian Super League matches in 2023-24 campaign, with getting a total of 411 minutes of playing time. His ability to not only score goals but also give crucial solidity in the frontline makes him a valuable player to keep an eye on.

Rohit Kumar is also expected to form solid alliances and contribute to coherent offensive combinations alongside seasoned players like as Sunil Chhetri and Javi Hernandez. His capable assistance to the team’s more experienced members, particularly while sharing the field with Chhetri, Hernandez, provides a crucial dimension to the squad’s overall plan and performance. Kumar’s ability to make an impact on both ends of the field will be on display in the Southern Derby.

Did you know?

• Renedy Singh is in charge of Bengaluru FC for the upcoming clashes till the club finds a new coach.
• Rafael Crivellaro of Chennaiyin FC currently has the most number of assists in the league.
• Bengaluru FC has now gone six games without a win.

Telecast

The Bengaluru FC vs Chennaiyin FC game kicks off at 8:00 PM IST, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on 13th of December. Live telecast of the fixture will be available on Sports18 Network (Sports18 1/VH1 Channel). Live streaming of the game will be available on the Jio Cinema app. Viewers from abroad can use OneFootball to stream the game.

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