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Bengaluru FC will begin their 202627 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign at home, hosting Sporting Club Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday.
With the new season getting underway in Bengaluru for the first time, the Blues will look to make a strong start in front of their home supporters at the Fortress, as per a release. Bengaluru finished fourth in the league last season, collecting 23 points from 13 matches, with six wins, five draws and just two defeats. They ended the campaign on a winning note, beating Chennaiyin FC 21, and will now look to carry that momentum into Saturdays season opener against Sporting Club Delhi. The fixture marks the first time Bengaluru has hosted the opening match of an ISL season, giving supporters at the Fortress the opportunity to be part of the leagues opening game. With the return of the full home-and-away format, Bengaluru FCs immediate focus will be on getting the season off to a positive start at home. The Blues head into the new campaign with a blend of new faces and continuity within the squad. Spanish forward Borja Martnez, Portuguese defender Sandro Embal, Argentine midfielder Manuel de Iriondo, Dutch centre-back Menno Koch and Montenegrin forward Mihailo Perovi have joined the squad, adding experience to the foreign contingent. The club has also secured contract extensions for Soham Varshneya, Vinith Venkatesh and Harsh Palande, retaining young Indian players who have been part of the teams recent development. The Blues will also have the experience of captain Sunil Chhetri, who has extended his stay with the club for the 202627 season, adding further continuity to the squad. The campaign also marks Pep Muozs first full season as Head Coach of Bengaluru FC. Having taken charge last season and guided the Blues to a fourth-place finish, Muoz will now begin a full campaign in charge, with Saturdays meeting against Sporting Club Delhi providing his first competitive fixture of the new season. Speaking ahead of the season opener, Bengaluru FC Head Coach Pep Muoz said, It's been a long pre-season, and we are very excited that the league is finally starting. Delhi is a really strong opponent, and it will be a tough game. They have the rhythm of competition after playing two competitions recently, and they have some really good foreign and local players. We know it will be a difficult game, so we need to be patient and manage it well. But we play at home, we have confidence in our preparation, and I feel we are ready to compete. We have prepared well and, especially at home with our supporters, we want to start the season in the right way. Bengaluru FC midfielder Suresh Wangjam said, After a long and good pre-season, were excited to finally get the league underway. We got to know each other and understand what the coach wants from us during this time. We are really excited for the first game against Delhi and want to start the season strongly. Its important for us to give everything and get a positive result in our first game. (ANI)
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