Second-string Mohun Bagan takes on Blasters; Goa clashes with Punjab
Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) will begin its quest to finish the season with a third piece of silverware when it takes on Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) in the Kalinga Super Cup quarterfinal at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday.
It will be MBSG's first appearance in this edition of the Super Cup after its round-of-16 opponent, Churchill Brothers FC Goa, withdrew from the tournament. Moreover, the Mariners' squad will be notably missing the services of its six foreign players, who have been rested after a taxing season.
'This tournament we are treating as an exposure for the young guys, and find out how they can perform in the long run,' MBSG assistant coach Bastab Roy said during the pre-match press conference.
On the other hand, KBFC head coach David Catala had a perfect start to his stint as his side beat defending champion East Bengal 2-0 in its opening match. However, he warned his players to focus on the game at hand instead of dreaming of a maiden trophy for the club.
'To start thinking about trophies right now is, for me, it's not right. It's not helping anyone, and we need to just focus on the task tomorrow,' Catala said.
Later in the day, Manolo Marquez's hope of finishing his tenure as FC Goa coach with a trophy will face a stern challenge when his side takes on Punjab FC in the second quarterfinal.
Both Goa and Punjab are coming off convincing 3-0 wins against Gokulam Kerala FC and Odisha FC, respectively.
Goa is the only side remaining in the competition that can win it for a second time, having won the Cup in 2019.
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