Nothing seems to be going right for East Bengal. The Lal Holud (Red and Gold) are turning what was supposed to be a memorable season into one they’d rather have no memory of, especially the final stretch of the season.
Mridul Banerjee, hired after a memorable Santosh Trophy triumph with Bengal in Goa, has now gone and injured himself while handling the team’s first practise session after Trevor Morgan had resigned, Goal.com reported.
Shanti Ranjan Dasgupta, vice-president of the club as well as a practicing doctor, told the media, “We’re awaiting the reports but the early signs show he may need surgery.” The coach’s ankle injury is expected to sideline him, although the exact timeline remains unknown.
In his absence, Manoranjan Bhattacharya is expected to handle the team’s training sessions as they gear up for their final two I-League matches and the Federation Cup.
On March 4, the Red-and-Golds were top of the I-League table with 27 points from 12 matches, with a 2-1 win over Shillong Lajong meaning that the Kolkata derby was the only top five game that they had left.
After their latest defeat to DSK Shivajians, a 1-0 loss at home knocking them out of the title race, East Bengal can only finish the season third or lower.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!