Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC lineups, team news, prediction & preview

The Blues will be keen to take a first-leg lead against the Islanders at home.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC will be kicking off their playoffs campaign against the defending champions Mumbai City FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru on Saturday. The game will be a battle of two teams who have tasted ISL title success in the past, and will be keen to win it again.

The regular season witnessed the Islanders come out on top and playing out a draw in their two head-to-head games. However, the upcoming fixture could be a fascinating contest between two sides preparing themselves to push each other all the way to the ISL final.

The Stakes

Bengaluru FC

Under Gerard Zaragoza, Bengaluru FC finished third in the ISL standings following the end of the regular season. With three wins from their last five games, their campaign was relatively successful having secured a playoffs berth. Their recent 0-2 loss at home against Mumbai City FC showcased a team who are still a work in progress, but motivated to put their best foot forward in the playoffs.

Having already secured victories in challenging venues this season like Kochi, Kolkata and Shillong, the Blues will hope they can make their advantage at home count against the defending champions. A win will be essential for the Blues as they look to take a lead ahead of the second leg against the Islanders in Mumbai.

Mumbai City FC

The Islanders are in a good position after they finished sixth in the ISL standings under coach Petr Kratky. While Mumbai has only managed to win one of their last five games, they will be keen to replicate their performances from their final matchweek, where they upset the home side.

Goals from Lallianzualla Chhangte and Nikolaos Karelis were enough for the visitors to get the better of the Blues in matchweek 26. A loss against the Blues will be damning for Mumbai as the defending champions, as the Islanders will be searching for an away goal lead at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Team & Injury News

The Blues are expected to have a fully fit and available side for the upcoming game.

The Islanders are potentially going to miss Lallianzualla Chhangte for the upcoming game, while Ayush Chikkara and Akash Mishra who were ruled out for the season with knee and cruciate ligament injuries.

Head-to-Head Record

Total Matches – 19

Bengaluru FC wins – 8

Mumbai City FC wins – 9

Draws – 2

ALSO READ: Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC: Three key battles that could decide the ISL playoffs

Predicted Lineups

Bengaluru FC (4-3-3)

Gurpreet Sandhu (GK); Mohamed Salah, Rahul Bheke, Chinglensana, Roshan Singh; Alberto Noguera, Pedro Capo, Suresh Wangjam; Ryan Williams, Edgar Mendez, Sunil Chhetri

Mumbai City FC (4-2-3-1)

TP Rehenesh (GK), Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Mehtab Singh, Tiri, Nathan Rodrigues, Yoell van Nieff, Jayesh Rane, Brandon Fernandes, Vikram Partap Singh, Bipin Singh, Jorge Ortiz

Players to Watch

Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)

The 40-year-old club captain has scored 12 goals for the season and will be hunting for more against the Islanders. The Indian icon stepped up when his team needed him by slotting away the penalty to tie the game in stoppage time against East Bengal FC in matchweek 25.

With his legendary career continuing to impress, the Blues striker still possesses the hunger in front of goal. Saturday could prove to be yet another opportunity for Chhetri to show why he is still the man for the big occasions in Bengaluru at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Yoell Van Nieff (Mumbai City FC)

Nieff has been one of the most consistent performers for the Islanders this season. The Dutchman keeps the balance in the midfield and he is a player who likes to orchestrate play from the middle for his side.

Last season also he played a key role in Islander’s success in the league and since then he has become a fan favourite among the Mumbaikars. The Islanders midfielder can score goals and create scoring opportunities for his teammates, which will be vital against the Blues.

The Dutchman’s role will be important in the upcoming games as he is one of the team leaders and will be a player to watch for the upcoming game.

Did You Know?

• Bengaluru FC failed to score in their most recent home game against Mumbai City FC.
• Mumbai City FC have won each of their last four playoff games in the ISL.
• Bengaluru FC are winless in their last five meetings against Mumbai City FC (D 1, L4).
• Petr Kratky can become the first manager to go unbeaten in his first four playoff games in the ISL.

Telecast Details

The 2024-25 ISL playoffs game between Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC will occur at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Tuesday (29 March 2025).It will kick off at 7:30 PM IST.

The match will be shown live on Sports 18 and be available for streaming on Jio Hotstar. International viewers can also watch the match on the OneFootball app.

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