Bengaluru FC vs East Bengal FC Preview, predicted lineup, injury news, H2H, telecast details | ISL 2024-25

Bengaluru FC will welcome East Bengal FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday night as both sides look to start their Indian Super League(ISL) campaign with a win. Both teams have made some new signings in the transfer window and are hungry to perform on the pitch.

This will be an exciting clash for sure as both teams have got top-quality players on the pitch who are capable of creating a lot of problems for the opposition. This match will be key for the Torchbearers and the Blues as they will want to make a statement in their first match. Fans can expect an intense battle on the pitch for sure.

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC

For the last few seasons, the Blues have not been able to perform consistently or win trophies. They brought in Gerard Zaragoza to make changes but last season they were not able to make it to the playoffs. This time around they have made really good signings which shows positive intent from the management. Fans will surely expect this season to be a good one as they have a lot of faith in the players. Even though Zaragoza’s men got knocked out in the semi-final of the Durand Cup they played some attractive attacking football reminiscent of their past days of glory. As much as there are positive takeaways, the side still has a mountain to climb in terms of improvements. But Bengaluru will look to start the campaign on a high, with all three points in their opening home match.

East Bengal FC

East Bengal have been in the eye of the storm when it comes to controversies this season, and on the pitch, Carles Cuadrat’s men have had a tough time impressing fans. They went tantalisingly close to beating Altyn Asyr in the AFC Champions League Two 2024-25 Preliminary stages and Shillong Lajong in the Durand Cup but were knocked out by a one-goal margin in both fixtures. Even after a brilliant transfer window, their inability to grind out results puts pressure on Cuadrat and his men to step up their game. The Red and Gold Brigade will be hoping to script their first win of the Indian Super League 2024-25 as well.

Injury and Team News

Bengaluru FC

Gerard Zaragoza will have a fully fit squad for this match and all players will be available for the selection.

East Bengal FC

Anwar Ali will miss out on this match due to his current ban, but other than that all players are fit and will be available for the match.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches played – 17

Bengaluru FC – 7

East Bengal FC – 9

Draws – 1

Predicted Lineups

Bengaluru FC (4-3-3)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Naorem Roshan Singh; Suresh Singh, Pedro Capo, Alberto Noguera; Shivaldo Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Jorge Pereyra Diaz

East Bengal FC (4-2-3-1)

Prabhsukhan Gill (GK); Provat Lakra, Hijazi Maher, Lalchungnunga, Mark Zothanpuia; Jeakson Singh, Saul Crespo; Madih Talal, PV Vishnu, Nandhakumar Sekar; Dimitrios Diamantakos

Players to Watch

Alberto Noguera (Bengaluru FC)

Alberto Noguera is one of the best midfielders that the league has to offer and has performed well in the last few seasons. He is a player who can make a difference on the pitch with his intelligence, unlocking defences and exploiting spaces to attack. Noguera is a lethal player who can score as well as assist, and combined with his work rate, will be a big threat to the opposition team. He will no doubt be their creative outlet in this game and throughout this season.

Madih Talal (East Bengal FC)

A lot is riding on Madih Talal’s shoulders this season and he is capable of helping his side be the best in the league. Last season he was Punjab FC’s best player and his current employers will have similar expectations. Talal has already demonstrated his masterful qualities on and off the ball, especially since he scored his maiden goal for the Torchbearers in spectacular fashion with a peach of a free-kick against Downtown Heroes in the Durand Cup. He likes to have freedom on the pitch which makes it tough for opponents to mark him as he can drift in and out of pressure with ease while managing to register goals and assists.

Did You Know?

• The winner of the last meeting was East Bengal
• The average number of goals in meetings between Bengaluru FC and East Bengal is 2.2
• Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza was the assistant coach under Carles Cuadrat when the East Bengal manager was at the club

Telecast for Bengaluru FC vs East Bengal FC

The 2024-25 Indian Super League opener between Bengaluru FC and East Bengal FC will be held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru on Saturday (14th September). It will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. The match will be shown live on Sports18 and will also be available for streaming on Jio Cinema. International viewers can also watch the match on the OneFootball app.

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