I-League: Big guns lock horns in Bengaluru

Bengaluru FC will do well to forget the events that unfolded when the two units met here, in what was a gripping final league match of the 2014-15 season. Bagan emerged champion with a dramatic late equaliser, pushing BFC to second-place.

Sony Norde and the rest of Mohan Bagan Football Team practicing at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday

Bengaluru FC (BFC) and Mohun Bagan, two genuine title contenders, will lock horns in a crucial mid-season I-League clash here on Saturday.

BFC stands on top of the table with 15 points, but Bagan is only marginally behind, trailing by four points with two matches in hand.

“We will look to get three points, but even if we end up getting one point (in case of a draw), it could turn out to be important,” Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen stated on Friday.

The visiting side may have viewed BFC's unexpected 1-2 loss to Sporting Clube de Goa, on Saturday, as a sign of weakness, but it has proved to be only a minor slip. A few days later, BFC went on to outclass DSK Shivajians 4-1.

The home team, however, will do well to forget the events that unfolded when the two units met here, in what was a gripping final league match of the 2014-15 season. Bagan emerged champion with a dramatic late equaliser, pushing BFC to second-place.

Coach Ashley Westwood insisted that his players have moved on. “We don't see this as a grudge match; it's just another game of football,” Westwood said.