Bengaluru: It’s a new dawn for Bengaluru FC, leaving their I-League success behind to take on last year’s semi-finalists Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League here on Sunday.
The two-time I-League winners have been accustomed to success since the club’s inception in 2013, and have been billed by pundits as the early season favourites to lift the trophy in March next year.
However, Blues’ coach Albert Roca preferred to remain grounded on the eve of their opening match. “It’s the beginning of a new era in this club’s history but the boys know they can’t get carried away by the occasion. Mumbai City are a good side and we’ll have to be at our best if we are to take anything away from the clash,” said Roca at the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
Mumbai are still be licking their wounds after an ill-fated campaign in ISL 3. They sailed through to the play-offs after topping the league standings but fell to eventual champions ATK.
But coach Alexandre Guimaraes is confident his style will be adopted by a new set of players.
Star striker Sunil Chettri will be the cynosure of all eyes, having played for Mumbai City in the previous two editions of the tournament, now playing for BFC.
Goalkeeper Arminder Singh has also switched jerseys. BFC will welcome Indian international goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu into the team while Lalthuammawia Ralte and Dimas Delgado are out with injuries, which means Lenny Rodriguez should partner Erik Paartalu in the midfield.
