Former Kerala Blasters FC player and current FC Pune City assistant coach Renedy Singh has tipped Mohun Bagan to beat East Bengal in their Hero I-League match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday. Defending champions Mohun Bagan currently occupy the top spot with six points in the league table having won both their previous matches so far, while East Bengal stay hot on their heels in third position with four points after a win and a draw from their first two matches of the season.“East Bengal have done well to get four points from two away games. It is always difficult to start with a win in Goa and they did that against Sporting Club de Goa and drew against a strong Mumbai FC team at the Cooperage. Mohun Bagan, however, are slight favourites on the day as they come into the match with six points from their two home games but, more importantly, they are carrying their form of last season into this one and are looking confident,” Renedy told indiansuperleague.com ahead of the high-profile Kolkata derby.Assistance Coach of Reliance Foundation Young Champs programme, Jose Barreto echoed Renedy’s sentiments. “I feel Mohun Bagan have a quality squad. On the other hand, East Bengal have an experienced squad. It’s difficult but I put my cards on Mohun Bagan. The attacking players in both teams are really good,” the former Mohun Bagan player said. Barreto is the second highest goal-scorer in the history of this fixture with 17 goals. On the joy of getting one’s name on the scoresheet in these high-pressure matches, the Mohun Bagan legend said: “It’s a great feeling; it’s a good test for you to understand that you are able to deal with big pressure and big responsibilities.”When asked to recall one of his favourite goals in the derby, Barreto said: “Usually, I keep forgetting my goals but a very easy one to remember is when Mr Sepp Blatter [then president of the FIFA] came to India for the first time [in 2007]. He was watching the derby in Kolkata. I got a cross from the right in the 16-yard box and I was few steps behind and the only way to connect it was to jump and head it with power because of the distance. I did that and fortunately the ball hit the back of the net. It was a great derby with a great victory.”Renedy, who began his career in the youth system of East Bengal before moving to Mohun Bagan and then returning the Red and Gold Brigade camp for a second stint, also spoke about the burden of expectations on the shoulders of the players in these games and how heroes are born courtesy of standout performances on the day. “It is a high pressure important match for both teams. The players can feel the pressure and usually someone stands out in the match and makes a name for himself,” he said.The Salt Lake Stadium is expected to be packed to the rafters on Saturday and Renedy stressed the uniqueness of this fixture. “It is the most supported and attended match in the Indian Football Calendar. It can attract up to 100,000 fans which no other match in India will have," he said.Renedy was also quick to point out the intense scrutiny the players are subjected to both by fans and the media alike. “Defeat is tough to bear. A win or draw is okay but if any team loses, their players find it tough to cope with the defeat for a few days after the matches as fans are very critical and the media also tends to pick on their mistakes,” Renedy said.With more than just points at stake both sides have a wealth of talent at their disposal to turn the tie in their favour. While Mohun Bagan will be hoping that the likes of Balwant Singh (Chennaiyin FC), Sony Norde (Mumbai City FC), Luciano Sobrosa (FC Goa) and Brandon Fernandes (Mumbai City FC) prove to be game-changers, East Bengal will look at individuals like Cavin Lobo (Kerala Blasters FC), Bikash Jairu (FC Pune City), Mohammed Rafique (Atlético de Kolkata) and Harmanjot Khabra (Chennaiyin FC) to come to the fore.When asked about the players to watch out for on Saturday, Renedy said: “The striker in both teams, Cornell Glenn for Mohun Bagan and Ranti Martins for East Bengal, will hold the key to the match. Let’s see who clicks on the day.”
