MUMBAI: As Mumbai City welcome champions Mohun Bagan SG at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday, the fixture serves as a reminder of how drastically circumstances have changed compared to when the two sides clashed in Kolkata just under a year ago.
Back then, just two points separated leaders Mumbai and second-placed Bagan, as they battled it out for the Shield in a dream final match of the league phase.
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The Islanders will find it ironic to think that their quest to become the first Indian Super League side to defend the Shield was wrecked that mid-April evening at Salt Lake Stadium by a team who now own that piece of history.
Dimitrios Petratos’s injurytime winner against Odisha last Sunday ensured Bagan would accomplish what Mumbai couldn’t — win the Shield in successive seasons.
Even as the Kolkata giants have maintained their level, it’s been a different story for Petr Kratky’s Mumbai who have struggled to find consistency all season. A look at the table sums up the glaring difference between the two teams this time, as 20 points separate the champions from the Islanders, who sit in sixth spot with 32 points from 21 matches. Kratky, however, maintains his side haven’t declined, in fact going on to insist that Mumbai have even improved in some areas.
"If we talk about levels, Mohun Bagan is more effective in final third, scoring more goals than us," said the Mumbai coach.
