It’s the Maharashtrian derby this Saturday, with Mumbai City FC playing host to FC Pune City at the DY Patil Stadium. Apart from the regional rivalry, the edge will come from the need to open their goal-scoring tally, with both sides having failed to find the back of the net in their respective opening fixtures.Mumbai were unable to impose themselves on the game in their opener against Atlético de Kolkata. Their fullbacks struggled to cope with Kolkata’s high-intensity attack, adding extra pressure on the centre backs. Adding to their defensive woes, captain Syed Rahim Nabi picked up an injury in that match, and will not feature for the next three weeks. However, they have one of the deepest squads in the ISL, and the side will be looking to get back on track following their opening day 3-0 defeat. On the other hand, Pune City were solid at the back in their opener against Delhi Dynamos FC, but could not get the engine running in the middle of the park, and created few clear-cut chances. Their attack showed promise against Delhi, however and Pune will look to build on that in this derby fixture.Mumbai will bank on their fans’ support as they make their home debut. Both sides are looking for their first win in the competition.Lalrindika Ralte vs Dharmaraj RavananRalte, one of India’s rising stars, was unable to influence the game in the opener against Kolkata. He linked up well with his fellow midfielders, but could not produce the final pass. Ralte will be looking to improve upon his performance from the previous game, and make his mark in the derby against Pune. Ravanan, who will play the right-back or right centre-back role, will take charge of containing the speedy winger. And, given that he is known for his accurate passes going forward, he will have to be on his feet all throughout the game if he has to prosper in his dual role.Pavel Čmovš vs David TrezeguetČmovš maybe young compared to the other international players but he brings quite some experience having played all across Europe. His performance in Kolkata was sturdy even though his team conceded three. He will play a key role alongside Manuel Friedrich in organising the back line against Pune. Čmovš’ defensive duties will include marking World Cup winner David Trezeguet, who will be eager to score his first ISL goal and set the tone for the remainder of the ISL. The ex-Juventus man will also provide a creative threat, setting up chances for his attacking teammates.Jan Štohanzl vs Konstantinos KatsouranisŠtohanzl is an intelligent midfielder who can hold up the ball and create chances for teammates around him. His passing accuracy at short range is superb, and he is known for scoring goals from the midfield. Katsouranis will be the man who will take responsibility of breaking down any attacks from the middle. The ex-Benfica midfielder was an integral part of Greece’s Euro 2004 winning team and has played over 100 matches for his country. His experience will be a great match for Štohanzl’s attacking prowess. Players to watch:Mumbai City FCSubrata Paul India’s number one may have seen his goal breached three times, but he made a number of spectacular saves throughout the match to keep Mumbai in contention against Kolkata. He will look to have an even bigger influence in Mumbai’s first home game.FC Pune CityLenny Rodrigues Rodrigues is one of the soundest central midfielders in the Indian national side. He has established himself in the senior national team and is known for his passing accuracy, combined with his ball retention ability. He holds the key for the transition of Pune’s defence into attack.Manager Speak:Peter Reid (Mumbai City FC): “I just hope we can go out there and play with freedom, get our passing right and try and make it an entertaining game because people want to be entertained!"Franco Colomba (FC Pune City): "There were a lot of emotions in the first game and the team has now come to terms with that, which will definitely impact positively on the performance."
