Following weeks of uncertainty, Mohun Bagan Super Giant announced on Wednesday that they will hold the Kolkata derby of the Indian Super League (ISL) against East Bengal in Guwahati on Saturday.
The match planned in Kolkata for Saturday was moved due to insufficient security measures. This marks the second occasion this season when a Mohun Bagan-East Bengal match couldn’t take place at Salt Lake stadium due to the police.
“Saturday’s blockbuster ‘Boro Match’ will be held in Guwahati.” “Goodbye, Mariners,” Mohun Bagan posted on social media. The Kolkata derby is commonly known as the “Boro (big) Match.”
Due to the match overlapping with Gangasagar Mela, occurring from January 10 to 18, police stated they were unable to assign sufficient staff. A representative of a Kolkata football club stated that between 1100 and 1400 police officers are necessary for the derby at Salt Lake stadium.
Mohun Bagan, as stated by a club official, viewed Jamshedpur, Delhi, and Guwahati as potential alternate locations. The official stated that it was convenient to schedule the derby the following day since the ISL television crew would be in Guwahati when Northeast United faces Punjab FC on Friday.
When Mohun Bagan conducted their final home game of 2024, facing Kerala Blasters on December 14, there were unverified claims that the derby might be moved or postponed.
Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which manages the ISL, found it challenging to delay the match since East Bengal competes in the double-leg AFC Challenge League quarter-final on March 5 and 12.
The league phase of ISL must conclude by March 12 to allow the national team sufficient time to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh at home on March 25.
ISL champions and league shield holders Mohun Bagan secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg of the Kolkata derby in October. East Bengal is currently in 11th place in the rankings.
The Durand Cup group league clash between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, planned for August 18, was canceled at Salt Lake stadium due to protests sparked by the murder of a resident doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital. Each team was assigned one point. NorthEast United triumphed over Mohun Bagan in the Durand final.
