The Citrus Ventures BDFA Super Division football league, Bengaluru's top division, will kickoff at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Monday with Kickstart FC taking on Young Challengers in the opening clash.
The day's second match will be between ASC & Centre and FC Deccan.
After a thrilling previous season which went down to the wire with Bengaluru FC B team clinching the title on the final day, the new one is also expected to be a closely fought affair with Kickstart FC, FC Bengaluru United, who played the recently concluded I-League qualifiers, and ASC & Centre all looking to improve on their performances from the previous year.
While the clubs are happy to have the competition restart again, it's not been smooth sailing especially on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"It was hard for us, not in terms of training facility because we have our own, but a lot of our revenue models like the academy had been shut down, so it was difficult in that sense," said Shekhar Rajan, chairman of Kickstart FC.
With the pandemic still ongoing, the BDFA have made it clear that there will be no spectators allowed in the stadium and the association is hard at work to ensure the tournament goes on without a hitch.
"The KSFA had arranged Covid tests for the clubs and most of them got it done. Some teams are getting it done by themselves. The players, staff and officials will be allowed into the stadium only if they show negative results from the test," said BDFA Chairman Dr Anthony SL.
In addition, the BDFA have also taken undertakings from the clubs regarding Covid-19, which includes the players bringing their own water bottles and leaving the stadium immediately after the match.
The clubs will also be informed about the regularity with which they need to get Covid-19 tests done.
"We are thinking 15 days between tests, but clubs are playing on different days with different gaps. So based on that we will give each of them a letter on when the tests needs to be done," Anthony said.
BDFA has also made arrangement for a physio and nurse from Vikram Hospital.
With the withdrawal of Ozone FC Bengaluru due to financial issues and South United having already pulled out, this year's league will feature 13 teams, one less than the year before.
Teams: Bengaluru FC 'B', Kickstart FC, FC Bengaluru United, ASC & CEntre FC, MEG & Centre FC, Bangalore Independents FC, Bangalore Dream United FC, Bangalore Eagles FC, ADE FC, Income Tax FC, Students Union FC,
FC Deccan, Young Challengers FC.
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