East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | Indian Super League

East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC Preview

• Competition: Indian Super League
• Date: Sunday, 1st March
• Time: 2:00 GMT
• Venue: Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata

In the second-to-last round of the Indian Super League, East Bengal is set to host Bengaluru FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday. The Blues are almost qualified for the playoffs of the competition, while the Red and Gold Brigade will fancy their chances, but their chances are quite slim.

East Bengal FC is currently placed eighth in the table with 27 points and is flying quite high on confidence after three consecutive victories. To finish the ISL season on a high note, East Bengal can only win as many games as they can. Even though they are theoretically still in the ISL playoffs, a victory by Mumbai City FC or NorthEast United FC might put a stop to their chances. On Sunday, the Torchbearers will be aiming to retain their eighth place in the rankings, which is their maximum possible result.

A defeat might depress the team's spirits, but a victory can boost the club's momentum before the next AFC Challenge League games. The Torchbearers must have a strong defence to hold their opponents at bay and be as adept at snagging opportunities as they were in their most recent wins over Hyderabad FC and Punjab FC.

In contrast, Bengaluru FC is comfortably ranked third with equal points to fourth-placed Jamshedpur FC, separated by goal difference. The Blues are on a three-game winning streak under Gerard Zaragoza, have kept three clean sheets, and are certain to hold onto their position after nearly securing a postseason berth. Their campaign has been rekindled after two significant victories, and they now have 11 wins, seven defeats, and four draws as they attempt to maintain their winning trend. With the veterans stabilising the club ahead of the impending playoffs, their recent 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC and 0-2 victory over NorthEast United FC demonstrated a team at its best.

Let’s have a look at the team news for both sides.

East Bengal Team News

The Torchbearers will be without Madih Talal and Hijazi Maher due to season-ending knee and cruciate ligament injuries. Another injury issue for Oscar Bruzon's team is Richard Celis, who could be expected to start in the game against the Blues. Just few days back, East Bengal midfielder, Souvik Chakrabarti signed a two-year extension with the club to continue until the 2026-27 season. He has been one of the crucial players and one of the first names on head coach Oscar Bruzon’s team sheet. Given his reputation for aggressive and fiery play on the pitch, the club's management had always intended to sign Chakrabarti to a new deal.

Bengaluru FC Team News

For the forthcoming match, the Blues will have a team that is totally healthy and available. With Ryan Williams, Edgar Mendez, and Sunil Chhetri in the attack, manager Gerard Zaragoza is anticipated to start. Together, the three have scored 24 goals thus far, which has aided the team's goal total.

East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC Predicted Lineups

East Bengal Predicted Lineup

Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Mohamad Rakip, Anwar Ali, Hector Yuste, Lalchungnunga, Jeakson Thaunaojam, Souvik Chakraborty, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Nitish Kumar, Dimitrios Diamantakos, R Messi Bouli

Bengaluru FC Predicted Lineup

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Naorem Singh, Namgyal Bhutia, Chinglensana, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Alberto Noguera, Suresh Wangjam, Ryan Williams, Edgar Mendez, Sivasakthi Narayanan

East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC Head-to-Head Record

Overall, both the sides have met each other on 15 occasions. East Bengal and Bengaluru both have won the tie seven times each and only one fixture has ended in a draw.

Key Players to Watch Out for East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC

Mahesh Singh (East Bengal)

Under Oscar Bruzon's leadership at East Bengal, Mahesh Singh has begun to flourish and is performing admirably in his unpaid job. He has greater flexibility and freedom to go into the most effective portions of the opposing box as he can play more in central regions. Mahesh is bursting with confidence after contributing to two goals in the previous two games against Punjab and Mohammedan. Singh will try to go into the box more frequently to keep up his own goal streak, but he will also utilise his creativity to make the greatest final third passes to give his team more chances to score goals.

Ryan Williams (Bengaluru FC)

In the 16 games, he played for the blues, the Australian has scored on six occasions and registered four assists. He will try to increase his total on Sunday at the Salt Lake Stadium after putting on a strong display against NorthEast United FC.

East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC Prediction

The tie will be an interesting one as both the teams are on a streak of three consecutive wins. East Bengal will look to do their part in their journey to qualify for the playoffs, while Bengaluru FC will look to retain their position in the league table after securing a spot in the playoffs.

Predicted Score: East Bengal 1-3 Bengaluru FC

Where to Watch East Bengal vs Bengaluru FC