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

Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC hold contrasting positions in the ISL table.

Mohun Bagan will aim to regain their place at the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) table when they host Chennaiyin FC on Sunday (March 31). The Mariners are bound to face a stern test against Owen Coyle’s side, who are determined to cling to their playoff hopes. Antonio Habas’ side needs to maintain their momentum from before the international break and make a strong push to amplify their ISL shield-winning chances.

The Stakes

Mohun Bagan

Mohun Bagan have had an inspired turnaround under Antonio Habas in the second leg of the 2023-24 ISL season. But all their good work might go to waste if their performance levels drop in the final stretch. They need to bring their very best football to the fray to oust title rivals Mumbai City and Odisha FC in the ISL Shield race.

The Mariners cannot afford to drop points against one of the bottom two teams in the ISL if they aspire to be the league champions. Habas also must ensure that his players don’t grow complacent in this match and aren’t overconfident. That can cause Mohun Bagan’s downfall and force them to drop points, which can be disastrous. A win can help set things up nicely for the Mariners heading into their final three league games.

Chennaiyin FC

The Marina Machans might be down, but are not totally out of the playoffs race either. They are three points behind the ISL top-six and anything can happen in the dramatic final few weeks of the campaign. Owen Coyle has experience of guiding his teams to ISL playoffs and finishing the league stages strongly. He needs to bring that to the fray by motivating his side to unlock their utmost potential when it matters the most.

Chennaiyin FC’s players need to be much more ruthless and defensively more stable to have a chance of coping against this in-form Mohun Bagan side. A win can be absolutely huge, as it can lift the confidence of the players and get them back into the playoff race. A draw won’t do much good, but another gutting loss can more or less end their ISL playoffs aspirations.

Injury & Team News

Sahal Abdul Samad is likely to miss this match after getting injured in the international break. Chennaiyin FC are expected to have a fully fit squad available.

Head-to-Head

Matches Played – 7

Mohun Bagan wins – 3

Chennaiyin FC wins – 1

Draws – 3

Predicted Lineups

Mohun Bagan (3-1-4-2)

Vishal Kaith (GK), Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Subhasish Bose, Deepak Tangri, Manvir Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Joni Kauko, Liston Colaco, Dimitri Petratos, Jason Cummings

Chennaiyin FC (4-2-3-1)

Debjit Majumder (GK), Ankit Mukherjee, Ryan Edwards, Lazar Cirkovic, Aakash Sangwan, Connor Shields, Ayush Adhikari, Vincy Barretto, Rafael Crivellaro, Rahim Ali, Farukh Choudhary

Players to Watch

Dimitri Petratos (Mohun Bagan)

Dimitri Petratos has experienced a major euphoria since the arrival of Habas, who has allowed the Australian forward more freedom and ability to express himself better. Petratos is often the instigator of many of the Mariners’ best attacking moves and loves imposing his authority in the attack.

Having scored two goals and provided as many assists in the last three games, the 31-year-old aims to return to action with a bang. Petratos will look to be a menace for the Chennaiyin defenders with his clever movement and unpredictable passing in the final third. He’ll look to create with his set-pieces and help his teammates flourish, while also sneaking into prime positions to score by using his smart finishing skills.

Rafael Crivellaro (Chennaiyin FC)

Even at the age of 35, Rafael Crivellaro is still going strong in the ISL. The Brazilian attacking midfielder is often the spark that keeps Chennaiyin FC ticking and is responsible for helping them win many points this season. He has scored three goals and provided six assists, having more goal contributions than any other player in the side. Not just that, but the 35-year-old has also created 31 chances – the fourth-highest in the ISL so far this season.

Chennaiyin will need Crivellaro to be at his best if they hope to pull off an upset. The Brazilian has to absolutely nail his final third passes and especially his set-piece routines to amplify his side’s ability to score. He will look to be a menace in the final third with his clever through balls and also look to put his shooting ability to good use in breaching the Mariners’ goal. 

Did you know?

• Manvir Singh has six assists in the ISL so far this season, more than any other Indian player in the competition.
• Chennaiyin FC have only scored 18 goals in as many ISL matches, the second-lowest for all the teams in the competition.
• Mohun Bagan have scored 10 goals in their last three matches; five different goal-scorers have been on the scorecard.

Telecast

The Mohun Bagan vs Chennaiyin FC game kicks off at 07:30 PM (IST), at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on March 31, 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. Viewers from abroad can use OneFootball to stream the game.

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