Abhijit Ray: East Bengal Football Club won the Kolkata derby against ATK Mohon Bagan SG on 12 th August 2023 at Kolkata’s Saltlake Football Stadium. The company that owned ATK FC, took an 80% stake in the football division of Mohun Bagan Club in 2020, it came to be known as ATK Mohun Bagan FC for sponsorship purpose. From the 2023-24 season, team was rebranded as Mohun Bagan Super Giants. Whereas on the other hand, East Bengal FC established as an institution to protest the discrimination and struggle back in pre-independent India, East Bengal FC is based out of Kolkata and is one of India’s most historic football clubs. As on date in the history of Indian football, it is the only Indian club to have 3 international trophies to its name and has been the home to some of the country’s most legendary footballers. Boasting a supporter base that would put any top European club to shame, East Bengal has crossed hundred year of their existence in 2019 and the celebrations have broken out in full flow amidst the fans. This time for East Bengal FC for winning the Kolkata derby, the time period is January 27, 2019 to August 12, 2023 which is about four and a half years in between. In terms of the calendar, the time is no less and the victory comes after 1656 days. For East Bengal football club, the story of the Kolkata Derby defeat started from the stage of the I-League. From there, the chapter of shame turned the ISL (ISL) football league and finally got rid of the curse on 12th August.On the stage of the Durand Cup, East Bengal FC’s coach Carlos Cuadrat got the flavour of victory when East Bengal’s Nandakumar scored a world-class goal in the 60th minutes of the derby.It was a quite comfortable 1-0 win for East Bengal after continuous eight derby defeats.Now, East Bengal will take on Punjab FC at Kishore Bharti on August 16 and if they win this match, East Bengal will go to the next round. Meanwhile, the day after the derby win, the torch of red and yellow increased !! The famous Spanish defender Jose Antonio Pardo Lucas has arrived in Kolkata to join the club. The 35-year-old Valencia native has become a pillar of defines, so he is called “Mr Dependable.” Lucas arrived in Kolkata with his family on Sunday morning, August 13.It was East Bengal that sent a message of arrival. Cuadrat has made a full-strength team with six foreigners for Durand. Lucas is also on that team. Since the game is next Wednesday, Lucas will have time to get over the jet lag and practice and get on the field.It remains to be seen if East Bengal will field Lucas and Jordan Els together against Punjab. Lucas has played for several clubs in Spain. He has earned a reputation as an outstanding defender. It’s the first time he’s set foot in a country other than Spain, and it’s going to be interesting to see what flowers he can bloom in the squad. That remains to be seen.
