Antonio López Habas will be back on the touchline after serving out a two-match ban when Atlético de Kolkata take on FC Pune City at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Friday. With his team firmly placed at the top of the league table with 12 points, the Spanish head coach will want to continue the unbeaten run with a win against Pune who are fifth in the league with seven points. After a last gasp penalty saw Chennaiyin FC steal a point in their previous encounter, Kolkata must keep their focus right till the final whistle. Pune have been inconsistent so far and will hope their last win against a resolute NorthEast United FC at home will act as a stepping stone to further success.From an attacking point of view, Kolkata look the better side, having scored 10 goals to Pune’s four. The hosts have also racked up more shots than their opponents (38-29). Suspended striker Fikru Teferra could now return to bolster their attack and with the home advantage also in their favour, Pune’s defenders will have to be on their toes to keep the Kolkata attack at bay. Pune City have however made more passes (1349) than Kolkata (1248) which indicates their superiority in possession. They will be comforted by this stat against a vociferous audience at the Kolkata fortress.Biswajit Saha vs Israil GurungLeft back Saha has shown his willingness to work hard for the cause and makes bombing runs up and down the left wing to both attack and defend. He will have a lot on his plate when he faces off against Israil Gurung who played a key role in Pune’s victory in the previous match. Gurung was a livewire against NorthEast United FC and if he can reproduce the same form tomorrow, he will make things difficult for the Kolkata defence.Edel Apoula vs John GoossensThe big Cameroonian goalkeeper has conceded just two goals since coming into the side and could retain his place for tomorrow. His calming presence at the back is a big bonus for Kolkata besides his impeccable positioning and interceptions which helps pre-empt any danger to his citadel. Up against him will be Dutch forward John Goossens who scored the winner in Pune’s previous match. The left-footed player is a special talent who can create chances for his colleagues as well as take them himself.Luis García vs Bruno CirilloKolkata’s marquee player turned on the style and rolled back the years against Chennaiyin FC with some eye-catching moves, initiating almost every attack, taking long range shots, put in through balls, winning headers and finally smashing home an emphatic penalty. Italian defender Cirillo, who is the mainstay in the Pune defence, will have to marshal his troops in such a way so as to keep García out of the game.Players to watchAtlético de KolkataFikru Teferra – The Ethiopian striker looks likely to return to action tomorrow after serving out his two match suspension and will want to make his presence felt. He already has two goals in the competition and has proved a handful for opposing defenders with his pace, strength, trickery and ability to take shots on the run.FC Pune CityDavid Trezeguet – The French World Cup winner cut a disappointed figure as he was withdrawn prematurely in Pune’s previous match. Having scored just two goals in the tournament, the former Juventus man will hope to stamp his authority on the tournament with an authoritative display on Kolkata’s artificial turf. He has shown flashes of his genius off and on in the earlier games but will have to deliver his best game to help Pune make a match out of it.Team Speak Atlético de Kolkata Arnab Mondal (Defender): “We want to win tomorrow and finish at the top.” FC Pune City Konstantinos Katsouranis (Midfielder): “We created a lot of scoring opportunities (in the previous game) and we want to continue with that kind of work.”
