Bengaluru: It's often said in football that if you want to be league champions, win your matches at home with the fans backing you and try not to lose away.
This, however, hasn't been the case for Bengaluru FC in the ongoing Indian Super League season.
The Blues, who are still adjusting to their new Spanish coach Pep Munoz, have won just one of their five matches at home. However, they have won all three of their away matches, including an impressive 2-0 defeat of FC Goa in Fatorda.
On Thursday, the Sunil Chhetri-led side will be on the road once again and this time the test only gets tougher as they face fellow title contenders East Bengal at the 'mecca of Indian football' Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Tied on 14 points each and four points off the top with just five rounds left, neither of the football powerhouses would like to lose any further ground in the title run. BFC will be further looking to bank on the point that they are visiting Kolkata for the third time since the beginning of March and have scored five goals in the two outings before.
ISL 2025-26 | Big Bagan test for Bengaluru FCThe Bengaluru club received a further boost as their in-form Argentine midfielder Braian Sanchez saw his red-card suspension overturned by AIFF's disciplinary committee following a complaint by the club.
Saying that, East Bengal have been at a different level compared to their rivals earlier and have fired 10 goals in their last two matches, including 7-0 thrashing of bottom-placed Mohammedan Sporting. The Oscar Bruzon-led side has star domestic performers in Anwar Ali, Bipin Singh, Jeakson Singh, among others, while Moroccan striker Youssef Ezzejjari has been a decisive factor with seven goals in as many games.
"We are on the same points, but it's still a tough game, as we play away. They have a good number of foreigners and quality Indian players. They are an offensive team that scores in most of the games," said Munoz.