Bengaluru Vs Mumbai City Preview: Battle of heavyweights

Blues seek turnaround in fortunes against confident Islanders.

Bengaluru FC are in search of an answer to a two-match losing streak, where they have been edged out by a single goal on each occasion as they visit Mumbai City FC on Tuesday. Carles Cuadrat’s side created chances in both games, but a lack of composure in finishing and coherence between the midfield and attack have seen them drop to fifth in the table.   

Mumbai City, on the other hand, are on a 7-match unbeaten streak, where they have scored 12 and only conceded just two. Sergio Lobera’s side sit pretty in second on the table and have a chance to leapfrog ATK Mohun Bagan with a win over the Blues.  

The Stakes

Bengaluru need a win to arrest a poor run of form and bring themselves back into the reckoning at the top end of the table. It would also see them move into third, a point ahead of FC Goa. A victory over an extremely fluid opponent whose coach knows all about them will be the kind of statement that Cuadrat is looking to make.  

Sergio Lobera has stamped his signature free-flowing football on this Mumbai City FC side. The Spaniard signed off from his previous stint with FC Goa on a high and would look to repeat the same with his new employers. A victory against a Bengaluru FC side struggling for fluency and consistency would go a long way to erasing some painful memories, as Lobera has a poor record against Bengaluru having won only once in six meetings. 

Team News

Ashique Kuruniyan will not be a part of the squad as he is recuperating from his facial injury. Cuadrat had indicated post the loss to Jamshedpur FC that he would look to give more minutes to the other players, especially in the tricky left-back position currently being occupied by Rahul Bheke. Kristian Opseth had a forgettable outing against the Men of Steel and could see Deshorn Brown take his place.   

The Islanders have had a lesser turnaround time as compared to their opponents after their win against Kerala Blasters on 2nd January. Lobera could ring in the changes as he looks to keep his side fresh. Mandar Rao Desai could be retained in the starting XI given his speed and Bengaluru’s problematic defence.  

Head-to-Head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLDwOl_G8kQ&t=1s

The head-to-head indicates how tight this encounter has been over the years in the ISL. Of the six times these two two teams have met, Bengaluru have won twice and drawn once, with the Islanders bagging three successes.  

Probable Lineups

Bengaluru FC: Gurpreet (GK); Khabra, Juanan, Pratik, Bheke; Paartalu, Dimas, Suresh; Cleiton, Chhetri, Brown. 

Mumbai City FC: Amrinder (GK); Rakip, Fall, Santana, Mandar; Borges, Jahouh; Raynier; Boumous, Bipin, Le Fondre

Man to Watch

Suresh Wangjam (Bengaluru FC)

The youngster was an all-action presence against Jamshedpur FC and linked well with the attack to trouble the opposition. While he was unlucky to get an early booking, he was fortunate not to be sent off for a rash challenge later in the game. Nevertheless, Cuadrat would need his energy given Mumbai City’s strong possession-based style of play.    

ALSO READ: ISL 2020-21: Who is lone Indian to feature in Power Rankings Phase 2?

Hugo Boumous (Mumbai City)

The playmaker would be a key presence for the Islanders, as he offers both creativity and a goalscoring threat in front of the Bengaluru defence, which has not looked confident across the length of this campaign.    

Did You Know?

• Mandar Rao Desai played for Bengaluru FC in the 2016-17 league campaign where he scored one goal in nine appearances for the Blues. 
• Mumbai City FC have won each of their last three encounters against Bengaluru FC in the ISL. 
• Sergio Lobera has a very underwhelming record against Bengaluru FC. His FC Goa side faced the Blues on six occasions and Lobera’s men could win only a single game. They lost four matches whereas a solitary game ended in a draw. 

Telecast

The live telecast of the match between Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC will be available on Star Sports 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 2 SD & HD (English), Star Sports Hindi 1 SD & HD, Star Sports 3 and several other regional languages. Live streaming of the match will be available on Hotstar and Jio TV.