Neighbours Kerala and Karnataka will have to keep their friendships aside as they meet each other in the semifinals of the 75th Santosh Trophy national football championship at the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri on Thursday.
Karnataka have four players from Kerala in their ranks while their head coach Biby Thomas Muttath has been friends with Bino George, the coach of the hosts, since their childhood. But both coaches said that the friendship will be kept outside the field as the two sides fight for a place in the final.
