ISL 2023-24: Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC: Preview, Predicted Lineup, injury news, H2H, telecast details

The tempers will be high considering the shared history between both teams.

In one of the highly anticipated Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 fixtures, Bengaluru FC is set to welcome Kerala Blasters FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on 2 March 2024. Both teams will be meeting exactly one year after the famous knockout game in March 2023 where the Yellow Army staged a walkout following Sunil Chhetri’s quickly taken free-kick goal that started a major controversy. 

The fortunes of the clubs are different however in the ongoing Indian Super League 2023-24 season. While the Blues are struggling to find consistency and aiming to secure one of the playoff spots, the Yellow Army is shaping to be one of the contenders for the ISL Shield by the end of the season.

The match between Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC is set to be hotly contested with both clubs entering on the back of wins in their previous ISL outings. As the fixture nears, here is what to watch out for:

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC sits with 18 points from 17 matches heading into the game. Making it into the play-offs is the objective for the Blues but inconsistency has been one of their failings in the 2023-24 season. The upcoming game in their backyard against the Kerala Blasters FC is a must-win contest for Gerard Zaragoza’s men to keep up with the rest of the competition. 

Kerala Blasters FC

Kerala Blasters FC have high ambitions and their comeback 4-2 win against FC Goa proved that the club is ready to pull out all the stops to achieve them. The Yellow Army is involved in a fiery five-way race for the top spot in the ISL points table. Grinding out wins away from home is a fundamental need for any club that hopes to reach the summit.

Injury & Team News

Sachin Suresh will be unavailable after picking up a major shoulder injury for the Kerala Blasters FC. 

Head-to-Head

Total Matches Played – 14

Bengaluru FC wins – 8

Kerala Blasters FC wins – 4

Draws – 2

Predicted Lineups

Bengaluru FC (4-3-1-2)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Nikhil Poojary, Chinglensana Singh, Slavko Damjanovic, Roshan Singh, Rohit Kumar, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Ryan Williams, Javi Hernandez, Oliver Drost, Sunil Chhetri.

Kerala Blasters FC (4-4-2)

Karanjit Singh (GK), Sandeep Singh, Hormipam Ruivah, Milos Drincic, Naocha Singh, Rahul K.P., Jeakson Singh, Vibin Mohanan, Daisuke Sakai, Fedor Cernych, Dimitris Diamantakos.

Players to Watch

Ryan Williams (Bengaluru FC)

Ryan Williams is a tenacious winger who causes plenty of problems for the opposition. He utilises his burst of speed to beat his markers and loves to deliver pinpoint crosses into the penalty area for the strikers. The winger has notched three goals in his debut ISL campaign and will be hungry to add more goal contributions to his tally. He worked tirelessly against Hyderabad FC in the previous fixture. The attackers will be one of the threats against KBFC.

Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC)

Dimitrios Diamantakos is currently the leading goalscorer for the club in the ISL 2023-24 with 10 goals. Kerala Blasters FC skipper holds the capability to change the complexion of a game single-handedly. He scored a crucial brace in the 4-2 win against FC Goa and oversaw his team’s immaculate comeback to win three points. Bengaluru FC defenders must be wary of the threat he poses inside and outside the penalty box.

Did You Know?

• Danish Farooq of Kerala Blasters FC played 35 matches in all competitions for Bengaluru FC.
• Bengaluru FC has scored 23 and Kerala Blasters FC has scored 16 goals in all of their previous meetings.
• Kerala Blasters FC are yet to win a major trophy since its inception.

Telecast

The Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters FC game kicks off at 07:30 PM (IST), at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on 02 March 2024. The live telecast will be available on the Sports18 Network (Sports18 1/VH1 channel) and the live streaming of the game will be available on the JioCinema app.

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