Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) would look to bounce back from their previous defeat and remain in the hunt for a top-spot finish in the Indian Super League when they face Punjab FC behind closed doors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
The Mariners lost their previous match to Chennaiyin FC 2-3 at home, significantly denting their hopes of catching up with table-toppers Mumbai City FC. Similarly, Odisha FC defeated Punjab FC 3-1, which has complicated matters for both these teams.
Still, with 39 points from 19 games, Mohun Bagan have a realistic chance of surpassing Mumbai City FC for the League Winners Shield title.
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Mohun Bagan are a force to reckon with on the road, having garnered 22 points in their away matches so far, which will keep Punjab FC on their toes in this encounter.
Punjab FC have not won any of its last three games at home, and a failure to get three points here will result in the team's longest-ever winless run there in the ISL.
Despite the quality of forwards in their ranks, the team does need to bolster certain metrics to cause troubles to the tremendously gifted Mohun Bagan Super Giant squad.
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Mohun Bagan have a chance to become the third team to do the league double over Punjab FC this season, after Odisha FC and Mumbai City FC, having won their previous game 3-1 in Kolkata.
The Mariners have scored 40 goals this season, the most amongst all teams. They have netted at least thrice in each of their last two away matches.
"As professionals, we need to always keep winning, and keep pushing to get our results for the season," Mohun Bagan Super Giant assistant coach Manuel Perez said.
"We are going to play one of the great clubs and the strongest team presently tomorrow. According to that, we will make plans for tomorrow, but we will be focussed in our game plan primarily," Punjab FC assistant coach Sankarlal Chakraborty said in the pre-match press conference.
The match is being held behind closed doors following a fire incident on March 13 in the stadium's CCTV room, leaving a man dead due to suffocation.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) had issued a notice to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium authorities on March 15 to not host any events on the premises until the fire safety norms were renewed.
But after a meeting of Sports Authority of India (SAI) with officials of the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police and other stakeholders on Thursday, it was decided to allow the match to happen behind closed doors with only the players and organisers along with security personnel.
