ISL 2024-25: Mighty Bagan stand between BFC and title

Kolkata: No team makes it to the Indian Super League (ISL) final without earning it. The tournament, played over eight months from post monsoon through the winter and the middle of summer, has always been a tough code to crack. 

A year on from a traumatic period in their history, Bengaluru FC have reached the ISL final and will play Mohun Bagan at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.

However, it won't be any ordinary game. Bengaluru against Bagan rarely is. Two hard and evenly matched clubs, who ask no quarter and give none. 

Kolkata football fans have sense of superior complex, and a glimpse of it was seen at the 70-odd strong pre-match press conference, where head coach Jose Molina was asked about Bagan’s margin of victory in the final and not about how they would go about business. 

However, Molina, with his lazy grin quickly brought all expectations down and said he expected a competitive encounter. 

“We won the Shield and now we will fight for one more trophy. We respect Bengaluru and they have been a very good team. They have shown their consistency throughout the season. However, I do have a plan but I cannot disclose it right now,” Jose Molina said at the pre-match press conference.

To state the obvious, Bengaluru FC will heavily depend on their attack and Rahul Bheke at the back if they are to put up a fight against a daunting Mohun Bagan in their den.

The promising sign for BFC is that new and recalled faces have impressed, especially Namgyal Bhutia, who has had a bit of a renaissance after Nikhil Poojary’s injury. 

Maybe it was meant to be that these two teams would meet in the final. 

Bagan have been super formidable. After their 3-0 defeat to BFC back in September, they have only conceded 11 goals in 23 matches, and have been ruthless in attack, taking a mile when given an inch. 

While Bengaluru have lived on the edge, flirting with form slump more than once, they have powered through after a dip that saw them lose legs in Shield race. 

Well, one thing is for sure. Kolkata breathes football. You move your neck upwards to look at the top row at the home stadium, you see Bagan flags. You look down to the first row, you see Bagan shirts. 

It sure seems intimidating. But Bengaluru boss Zaragoza does not seem to care too much about it. 

“They have the 12th man, but the reality is, tomorrow is a final and both teams will want to play the best football possible. My team is motivated and we want this trophy. We want to win it badly,” Zaragoza said. 

“We are here in the final and that in itself is a trophy. But I also want to win tomorrow,” he added.  

After both teams made their way to the final, a few water bottles might have been splashed, some players dunked into ice baths and some champagne bottles popped. 

However, the hangover time allotted was not much, and the training sessions were quickly underway for the final. 

Both teams look solid and ready, and on Saturday, the sparks are set to fly under the Kolkata lights.

The match starts at 7.30pm.