Kolkata: Mohun Bagan Super Giant has announced that they will play the Kolkata derby against East Bengal in Guwahati this Saturday. The match was originally supposed to happen in Kolkata, but security issues forced them to change locations. This is the second time this season that the derby could not be held at Salt Lake Stadium because there weren’t enough police officers to ensure safety.
The match, known as the “Boro Match” or “big match,” will clash with the Gangasagar Mela, which runs from January 10 to 18, making it hard for police to provide the required 1,100 to 1,400 personnel.
Mohun Bagan looked at Jamshedpur, Delhi, and Guwahati to find a new venue. Since the ISL TV crew will be in Guwahati for another game on Friday, it was easier to host the derby there on Saturday.
Previously, concerns arose that the derby might be postponed due to scheduling issues. East Bengal has a double-leg AFC Challenge League quarter-final coming up on March 5 and 12. Additionally, the ISL league phase must end by March 12 to give the national team time to prepare for their match against Bangladesh on March 25.
So far this season, Mohun Bagan has performed well, winning their first match against East Bengal 2-0 in October. On the other hand, East Bengal currently sits at 11th in the league. Earlier, a planned Durand Cup match between the two teams was canceled due to protests following a tragic incident in Kolkata, with each team getting one point instead.
In the Durand Cup final, NorthEast United defeated Mohun Bagan.
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