East Bengal FC are gearing up for a crucial AFC Champions League Two Preliminary Round tie against Kuwait’s Al Arabi SC, and both sides know there is very little margin for error in a one-off game.
Al Arabi head coach Goran Sablic has studied East Bengal closely and expects a tough battle against the Kolkata side.
“We are anticipating a tough battle against East Bengal,” said Sablic. “We have looked closely at them, and we know how good they are. We are ready after three weeks of training in Turkey and ready for the challenge. They have a strong team and an attacking mindset.”
East Bengal, meanwhile, have had significantly less time to prepare. Head coach Antonio Lopes Habas admitted that the preparation has not been as expected, with only a short training period available before such an important continental fixture.
“The preparation has not been ideal “ said Habas. “We have had very little time to prepare for such an important game, but the players have to be ready to compete from the first minute. Everyone must have the same chance to fight for a place and contribute.”
The Spanish coach also stressed the importance of playing with intelligence, particularly against a well-prepared Al Arabi side.
“We have to be tactically intelligent,” he said. “We cannot afford to play without thinking. It is important that we understand the game, make the right decisions and compete until the final minute.”
Predicted XIs
East Bengal (4-3-3): Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (GK); Jay Gupta, Sandip Mandi, Anwar Ali, Hardik Bhatt; Jeakson Singh, Mohammed Rashid (c), Dani Ramírez; Bipin Singh, Jesin TK, Edmund Lalrindika.
Al Arabi SC (4-2-3-1): Sulaiman Abdulghafoor (c) (GK); Mohammad Khaled, Khadim Rassoul, Jumaa Abboud, Abdallah Al-Boloushi; Bader Tarek Abdulrahman, Khaled Al-Mershed; Anayo Iwuala, Kenean Markneh, Bandar Al-Salama; Hussain Al-Aryan.
For More Exciting Articles: Follow RevSportz
The post East Bengal vs Al Arabi: Predicted Starting XIs, Pre-Match Quotes appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
