East Bengal Face Tough Challenge Against Al Arabi in AFC Champions League Two Qualifier

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XtraTime Web Desk

A fierce battle awaits at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday as East Bengal take on Kuwait’s Al Arabi in the AFC Champions League Two qualifying round. On paper, there is a significant difference between the two sides. Al Arabi are the stronger team and will also have the advantage of fielding six foreign players, while East Bengal will be able to use only two.

East Bengal’s foreign-player situation is far from ideal. Nigerian forward Joseph Afeef is yet to join the squad, while Australian attacker Awer Mabil has not yet reached full match fitness. As a result, coach Manolo Márquez will have only two fully fit foreign players at his disposal — Rakip and Danny Ramirez. Mabil could potentially be introduced later in the match.

The biggest concern for East Bengal could be the absence of a foreign defender. In central defence, Anwar Ali is expected to partner Sandeep Mandi, with Nunga also unavailable due to a suspension carried over from a red card he received in an AFC match last season.

Coach Manolo Márquez has admitted that his team are not completely ready for the contest. However, that has not affected East Bengal’s confidence. The coach made it clear that his side will take the field with the intention of winning.

Al Arabi coach Goran Sablic, meanwhile, is giving East Bengal plenty of respect. He acknowledged that the Kolkata side may have some injury concerns, but believes their overall squad is strong. He also does not seem overly concerned about East Bengal’s home advantage.

Sablic made it clear that his team are not worried about the atmosphere at the Salt Lake Stadium or the possibility of a wet pitch due to the monsoon. Their focus, he insisted, is solely on football.

Al Arabi have been preparing in Turkey for several weeks, where they played four friendly matches against considerably stronger opposition. They have also spent the past week preparing specifically for this crucial qualifier. Sablic stressed that his team are determined to progress to the next round.

Rather than focusing on any individual East Bengal player, the Al Arabi coach is wary of the entire team. He knows the challenge will not be easy and expects a tough contest.

Sablic also revealed that former India head coach Igor Stimac is a close friend of his. A few days ago, he spoke to Stimac to get an idea about East Bengal’s players.

The Al Arabi coach is not bothered by East Bengal’s passionate home support or the rain-soaked conditions at the Salt Lake Stadium. His six foreign players are his biggest strength — but they could also become East Bengal’s biggest challenge.

For Anwar Ali and Sandeep Mandi, containing Al Arabi’s foreign attacking options could prove to be the toughest task of the night.