ATK Mohun Bagan vs Emami East Bengal Preview: Age-old rivalry on Calcutta soil for the first time in ISL

Kolkata is ready for the first Derby between ATK Mohun Bagan and Emami East Bengal of the Indian Super League (ISL 2022-23) on its soil on Saturday.

Two of the oldest opponents of Indian (and Asian) football – ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal - appeared to whet their skills and stratagem as the city prepares for the first Kolkata Derby of the Indian Super League (ISL 2022-23) on its soil.

The match, which comes up at the teams’ regular home at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday after the pandemic, is expected to bring alive the excitement and the drama usually associated with the intense rivalry shared by the traditional rivals.

It will come as the second match of the weekend’s double-header where Mohun Bagan will continue to remain the favourite with its impressive start-list against East Bengal, which is still looking to settle down with a new squad assembled towards the end of the transfer season.

For the record Mohun Bagan has won all four meetings ever since the two sides started their ISL journey in the 2020-21 season. When the two arch-rivals met outside the ISL calendar, in the Durand Cup group league stage in August, the result did not see any alteration as ATKMB continued its winning run with a 1-0 victory to five consecutive games.

It remains to be seen whether there will be any change in fortune in their sixth meeting on Saturday.