By IANS
Kolkata : The big two football clubs, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, are gearing up for the fourth round of the I-League tournament in contrasting styles.
Mohun Bagan will host Mumbai outfit Air India in Kolkata Saturday while East Bengal will face Dempo Sports Club in Goa in the fourth round Sunday.
East Bengal have been plagued by injury problems and lack of quality foreign players while Mohun Bagan is trying to get their act together after a disastrous beginning.
East Bengal has not yet been able to emerge from the disappointment of recruiting former South African world cupper McDonald Mukansi. The South African has been a failure and coach Subrata Bhattacharya has also refused to sign Mukansi’s compatriot Mazio Ajao.
“I think he (Mukansi) has a few injuries and is not completely fit. We will have another foreigner coming next week. We will take him to Goa where he would be tried and if he is found satisfactory, he will be signed,” Bhattacharya said.
But the red and gold outfit’s woes continue to overflow as defenders M. Suresh and Surkumar Singh are injured. This has left a big hole in the East Bengal defence, which the coach hopes to plug with benchwarmers, Khaoibong and Suryabikash Chakraborty.
Midfielder Ashim Biswas will also miss the Goan stint with an injury, which is forcing Bhattacharya to draft in Snehashis Chakraborty.
In contrast, Mohun Bagan’s Brazilian coach Carlos Perriera hopes to get the services of Shanmugham Venkatesh, N.S. Manju and James Singh against Air India. Their Brazilian striker Jose Barreto has also started practicing but his fitness is not to the mark.
After three rounds, East Bengal have two wins and a loss and are fourth in the league table while Mohun Bagan remain at the bottom with just one draw in three games in the 10-team tournament.