Salt Lake Stadium or Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan has a galactic presence in Indian football.
Apart from playing host to three of the oldest football teams in the world — Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal — the second largest stadium (in terms of capacity) has witnessed many international matches and goliaths of the game, fuelling the city’s passion for the sport.
Atletico de Kolkata is the latest addition to a legion of football clubs that call Salt Lake Stadium home. When the city-based franchise kicks off the biggest football venture in the country — the Indian Super League — on Sunday, Salt Lake Stadium will add a new chapter to its rich history.
The day will also assume epochal significance as the city inaugurates one of the most ambitious endeavours to develop Indian football.
Atletico de Kolkata (ATK as the team prefers to call itself) will take on Mumbai City FC in a match that, in all probability, will hold the key to the success of the tournament and the novel concept introduced to propagate the sport.
To begin with, ATK will be looking to unleash its swift passing game — a flavour of the famous tiki-taka — to upstage the opposition.
Mumbai, on the other hand, will aim to build on the robust football professed by Peter Reid, a former Manchester City coach.
The visitors will be looking to put aside the off-field problems — including a three-match ban for French international Nicolas Anelka handed down by the English FA for his ‘Quenelle’ gesture — with a favourable result away from home.
4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1After successful completion of its pre-season training in Madrid, where the team was exposed to the ‘Atletico’ method, the host, under Spanish coach Antonio Habas, will be keen to make a winning start with either a 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 formation.
Former Spanish World Cupper and marquee player Luis Garcia, and former Valladolid and Getafe player Borja Fernandez look to be sure starters, while Cavin Lobo, Ofentse Nato, a Botswana international, Jakub Podany of the Czech Republic and Sanju Pradhan are expected to make it to the eleven.
Ethiopian international Fikru Teferra, Spaniard Arnal Llibert, Mohammed Rafi and Baljit Sahni will be looking for a chance in attack.
Ljungberg doubtfulWhile Atletico looks a composed outfit, Mumbai has injury concerns over Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg.
In such a scenario, Reid will be looking at the likes of Diego Nadaya, Syed Rahim Nabi, Manuel Friedrich, Deepak Mondal, Pavel Cmovs, Johan Letzelder, Jan Stohanzl, Peter Costa and Lalrindika Ralte among others to field an effective combination.
