How Mohun Bagan Super Giant can win Kalinga Super Cup 2025?

Mohun Bagan received a bye in the RO16 of the Kalinga Super Cup.

Mohun Bagan enjoyed a prolific 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL), which was capped off with their win over Bengaluru FC in the ISL final. In doing so, they became only the second team in the competition’s history to win a double (league shield and ISL trophy) in the same campaign after Mumbai City.

However, the campaign isn’t exactly over for the Mariners. They still have to play in the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup and have a mouthwatering proposition ahead. That is because if they’re able to win the competition, then it would mark a domestic treble for the Kolkata giants, something they haven’t managed to achieve for a long time.

No foreigners for Mohun Bagan?

Mohun Bagan are expected to rest their foreign players other than Nuno Reis for the Super Cup. They are also going to be resting some of the key Indian players, giving more playing time to the reserve players and those who didn’t get regular playing time in the ISL. With that being said, Mohun Bagan’s squad strength and sheer depth mean that they remain a force to be reckoned with even with some of their first-team regulars benched.

The Kolkata giants have received a bit of help as they won’t have to play in the Round of 16 following Churchill Brothers opting to boycott the tournament. As a result, their competition starts from the quarterfinals. Here, we look at how the Mariners could win the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup.

Win potential Kolkata derby

Mohun Bagan will kick off their 2025 Super Cup campaign from the quarterfinal, but they might have a huge game in store for that one. That is because the winners of the Kerala Blasters vs East Bengal clash will face the Mariners, and there is a strong chance that East Bengal gets through that clash. That will mean that fans will get to witness a Kolkata Derby in the Super Cup quarterfinal.

The Mariners have had a 100% win record against East Bengal in derbies in the 2024/25 season, winning both the clashes in the ISL. However, this could be a different proposition altogether for the Kolkata side because they’ll have to field a relatively weakened side. Because their foreigners will not participate in the Super Cup ad some key Indian stars will also be rested, it’ll be a major task for their ‘squad players’ to prove their quality.

If able to actually win a major quarterfinal against East Bengal or Kerala Blasters’ senior squad, the Mohun Bagan squad will receive a major boost to their self-belief towards going all the way in the competition.

Show their grit in tricky semi-final

If able to get past the quarterfinal stages, the competitiveness will get even more difficult for Mohun Bagan in the Super Cup. There is a strong chance that they meet a major ISL opponent like FC Goa or Odisha FC in the semifinal because of the seeding bracket. The game against the former can be particularly tricky, with the Gaurs having defeated Mohun Bagan in the ISL campaign too.

The semi-final clash will be even more challenging for the Mariners because whichever opponent they’ll face will be coming at them with their strongest XI, which could be packed with up to six foreign players! Playing against this flurry of experienced foreign and quality Indian players can make this really tricky for their squad players and cause them to be placed under intense pressure.

Mohun Bagan’s players will need to show their grit and character if able to get to the semifinal. This includes having to maintain a stubborn defensive line to throw back whatever the opponents launch at them. Moreover, they also need to be clinical with finishing off their chances to book a place in the finale.

Exorcise of ghosts of past to clinch Super Cup finale

If Mohun Bagan are able to reach the 2025 Kalinga Super Cup final, it won’t be the first cup final they’ve reached in the 2024-25 season. That is because they marched their way to the 2024 Durand Cup final as well, where they faced off against NorthEast United at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata.

The football gods, however, were not on their side in that evening. NorthEast United ground their way to force the match into a penalty shootout, where the Highlanders came out on top to win the Durand Cup.

The finale was not one to remember for Mohun Bagan, but they could potentially exorcise the ghosts of finale posts in the upcoming tournament. Of course, the Kolkata side will have to push hard to get into the finale, producing some clinical performances in the matches before that.

But if they can get into the final stage of the competition, they need to reserve their very best performance for last. That includes maintaining a sturdy defensive nature against whichever team they face. The players need to operate as one in the final, harassing opponents with their energetic presence.

They also need to be at their ruthless best in finishing off chances and trying to end the match in 90 minutes, knowing how risky it could be to drag it to penalties. If able to reach the final, Mohun Bagan will need a really inspired performance to clinch the Super Cup and complete a treble.

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