Three things Mohun Bagan must improve ahead of ACL Two campaign

Mohun Bagan will kick off their ACL 2 campaign on September 16.

Mohun Bagan suffered their first major setback of the 2025-26 season with a bitter loss to East Bengal in the quarterfinals of the Durand Cup. The Mariners failed to hit the ground running properly and were quite underwhelming in the final third, causing their embarrassing loss to the Red & Gold Brigade.

Jose Molina needs to treat his first Kolkata derby loss as a major reality check. With the transfer window still open and the season still in its early stages, there are certain lessons to be learned from the defeat about the kind of changes that must be implemented to ensure Mohun Bagan can enjoy a prolific 2025-26 season.

The Mariners are set to begin their AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2) campaign in September 2025, and there are major improvements to be made in multiple departments before their continental journey begins. Here we look at the three things that Mohun Bagan must work on improving before the start of their ACL two journey.

Also Read: Mohun Bagan to kick off ACL 2 group stage against Ahal FC; check complete fixtures

3. Find Manvir Singh’s alternative

Jose Molina took a gamble with starting Pasang Tamang on the right wing in the Kolkata derby because of Manvir Singh’s injury. It turned out to be quite an inefficient move as the youngster failed to really make any kind of positive impact. Tamang was unable to create much or even support Asish Rai that well, allowing East Bengal to dominate the left wing.

That only goes to show the importance of Manvir Singh in this Mohun Bagan set-up. Manvir excels in the right wing role under Molina, having enough defensive quality to help his backline and also make darting forward runs through the right.

However, Mohun Bagan doesn’t seem to have a proper ‘Plan B’ for Manvir. They need to work hard on either signing a new right winger who can be a reliable alternative to Manvir or evolving one of their forwards into being a solid Plan B option. Kiyan Nassiri is a decent right-wing option, but he might struggle under the intensity of big games. The Mariners should hope that Manvir is able to stay free of injuries going forward, but a safer option would be to sign a creative winger who can replace him and keep a threatening aura on the right wing.

2. Improve the defensive midfield role

Mohun Bagan struggled to maintain their dominance in the central areas against East Bengal, with the opposition players bypassing their midfield line too easily. Lalengmawia Ralte was not really able to slot into that defensive midfield role that well, failing to break East Bengal’s movement in central areas or stopping the likes of Naorem Mahesh Singh or Miguel Ferreira from creating chances.

Mohun Bagan seems to be requiring a quality defensive midfielder, who can not only disrupt opposition attacking moves but also protect their backline from trouble.

They need a real destroyer in the midfield, who can recover possession inside their half and read the opposition moves smartly to stop them from entering the final third. The Mariners should look to invest in a new defensive-oriented midfielder or give more chances to someone like Deepak Tangri, who can excel in that role.

The Mariners are going to face tough opposition in the ACL Two and teams that will take the fight to them, which is why it’s important for them to add more steel to their midfield to hold their own in tough midfield battles.

1. Sign a creative midfielder

Mohun Bagan have surprised many fans by opting against signing a direct replacement for Greg Stewart, who was allowed to leave after the end of the 2024-25 season. That has, evidently, left a major hole in the squad, especially in terms of the creativity in the team.

Stewart might’ve struggled with fitness issues last season, but he significantly uplifted their attacking threat in games he featured. He created a lot of chances on a regular basis, being able to pick out quality passes to help open up opportunities for his teammates.

Mohun Bagan’s lack of creative threat from a special midfielder cost them against East Bengal and can cause them even more trouble in the ACL Two if this issue isn’t addressed.

They need to push for the signing of a prolific, intelligent player who can fulfil their creative needs and add a special spark to their attacking style. A prolific playmaker can make a major difference and give them the necessary push to go past the ACL Two group stages as well.

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