ISL 2021: Rivera to take over as SC East Bengal head coach

Spaniard Mario Rivera guided East Bengal to a second-place finish in the I-League two seasons back.

File image of Mario Rivera.

SC East Bengal announced the appointment of Mario Rivera as its head coach for the remainder of the 2021-22 Indian Super League season.

The club parted ways with Jose Manuel Diaz last month and Renedy Singh took over as interim head coach. Spaniard Rivera guided East Bengal to a second-place finish in the I-League two seasons back.

Rivera, a UEFA Pro Licence holder, guided the team to the second position in just seven matches. "We are happy to appoint him as our head coach. Mario has been part of East Bengal previously and his experience in Indian football will be beneficial to the team for the rest of the season," said SC East Bengal CEO Col. Shivaji Samaddar.

Rivera worked with former East Bengal coach Alejandro Menéndez as his deputy for 32 games in 2018-19 season before he was asked to take over the reins.

Rivera will undergo the mandatory quarantine period as per ISL and will take over thereafter.

SC East Bengal will take on Bengaluru FC at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Tuesday