'Players confident of win against Mohun Bagan': East Bengal coach Bino George

Kolkata: East Bengal's start to the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season has been nothing short of a nightmare. They have been winless in four matches, with the club's famed flaming torch, or Moshaal, waiting to be reignited.

The club's situation have become so dire that when the power went out at the East Bengal media centre on Friday, a joke cracked by a scribe made everyone laugh: "The Moshaal has been extinguished."

The lights went out three minutes into the press conference, where interim coach Bino George and midfielder Saul Crespo were speaking to the media on the eve of their derby clash against Mohun Bagan.

For about four minutes, darkness prevailed at the club's Maidan tent. The irony was not lost, as the Kolkata giants are languishing at the bottom of the league with zero points despite assembling a strong squad this season.

The Red and Gold Brigade are going through a rough patch, having sacked head coach Carles Cuadrat after three consecutive losses. Youth team coach Bino George stepped in as interim manager, but the team's fortunes have not changed under his counsel.

Now, as East Bengal prepare for their much-anticipated derby against archrivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant at the Salt Lake Stadium, Bino, who remains in charge despite the club hiring Cuadrat’s replacement, Oscar Bruzon, said, "We have no pressure - we are winless in four matches. All the pressure is on Mohun Bagan."

Bruzon will land in Kolkata on Saturday morning and join Bino in the dugout for the match.

The key question remains: can East Bengal turn their season around against Mohun Bagan, a team in fine form?

Since their away loss to Bengaluru FC last month, Jose Molina's Mohun Bagan have made a remarkable turnaround at home, defeating Mohammedan Sporting 3-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium, the venue for Saturday's derby.

"We may be winless in the ISL, but we beat Mohun Bagan in the Calcutta Football League," Bino pointed out, offering a glimmer of hope.

However, East Bengal's current form has been far from encouraging. The club have struggled to convert near chances, losing matches despite dominating possession.

In their last game at the Salt Lake Stadium, East Bengal lost 2-3 to FC Goa, and in their away clash against Jamshedpur FC, Bino’s team succumbed to a 0-2 defeat despite controlling 66 per cent of the possession.

East Bengal banking Bino's record against Mohun Bagan

Still, Bino remains confident about the upcoming match. "We have given everything in every match so far. But football is about wins and losses. A derby, however, is different. It brings excitement not only to the fans but also to the team. We are looking forward to a good result," said Bino, who famously defeated Mohun Bagan while coaching Gokulam Kerala in the 2022 AFC Cup's Group D match at the Salt Lake Stadium.

"By watching our boys' practice, I can tell you they are confident about winning the match. There is constant discussion among the players about how to beat Mohun Bagan," he emphasised.

Saul Crespo, the 28-year-old Spanish midfielder who has recovered from a bout of dengue and is now '100 per cent fit to play,' echoed the coach’s thought.

"We are ready for the derby and focused on winning the three points. We do not want to dwell on what happened in the previous matches. Our full focus is on the derby and winning three points. We know how important this match is," Crespo stated.

Reflecting on the narrow defeats in their last two matches, Bino remarked, "We had plans for all the teams. Penalties were not awarded in the previous match."

Losing close games can take a toll on the players' morale. Despite having some of the top recruits this season, East Bengal seem to be struggling with confidence, as their efforts have not translated into the desired results.

"Football is like that. Even if you make a strategy, it does not always work. Sometimes, it is just sheer bad luck. We hope to play our best game against Mohun Bagan. As a coach, I am working hard to motivate the team. Football is a game of ups and downs - you have to accept that and move on," Bino explained.

Mohun Bagan to play 'strong game'

Mohun Bagan captain Subhasish Bose, meanwhile, asserted that his team would play a 'strong game' against East Bengal. In response, Crespo said, "We are not concerned about others. We want to play our game, stick to our strategy, and focus on executing it perfectly."

However, things will not be easy for East Bengal, as Mohun Bagan have turned the Salt Lake Stadium into their fortress. The team have scored in each of their 12 home ISL games in 2024, netting at least twice in 11 of those matches. They have scored 29 goals at the venue this year, the second-highest tally for any team at a single venue in a calendar year.

Mohun Bagan’s shooting accuracy have also been impressive, with 55.8 per cent of their shots on target. No other team have maintained such stats over a full ISL season, making Mohun Bagan Super Giant a daunting opponent for any opponents.

Fans, meanwhile, have flocked to the East Bengal tent in large numbers to buy tickets for the season’s biggest match, despite dissatisfaction with the club’s current state.

"Mohun Bagan are a strong side. Given the present situations of the two clubs, we are not very hopeful of a win, but a derby never follows statistics - anybody can win," said an East Bengal fan.