KOCHI: For two years, the Indian Super League was played in silent mode. Barring the finals last year, fans were denied entry to the stadiums due to Covid protocols as the league was entirely held in multiple venues in Goa.
But on Friday evening that will change as a vociferous crowd will greet Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal when they step onto the field here at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium for the opening fixture of season nine as the league returns to the home and away format.
But that's not the only thing changing in ISL this year.
The league stage of ISL alone will run for close to five months, thereby yielding to the demands of clubs. Also, the matches have been scheduled between Thursday-Monday, following the path of major football leagues.
"Longer tournament means more time for practice and recovery. Last year, Jessel (Carneiro) was injured, and by the time he recovered, the tournament was over. KP Rahul was injured in the first match, and when he regained full fitness, the semifinals had started. So, it's always good to have longer leagues in football," said Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic.
The format of the league will also see a switch. ISL is introducing a new playoff format this time with the top-two teams at the end of the league stage, automatically qualifying for the semifinals.
Teams finishing between 3rd and 6th in ISL league standings will now be involved in a single-leg playoff to determine the other two last-four spots. The playoffs between the third to sixth-placed teams will be known as Eliminator 1 and 2. The third-placed team will take on the sixth-placed team in Eliminator 1, while the fourth and fifth-placed teams will lock horns in Eliminator 2. In the semifinals, the winner of Eliminator 2 will face the top-placed team in the league table while the second-placed team will take on the winner of Eliminator 1.
Defending champions Hyderabad FC have their task cut out to become the first team in ISL history to retain the title as the likes of Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC have made some value additions to their squads and will have a potent strike force.
