After a nine-year absence, East Bengal will return to continental football in the Asian Champions League 2. The Red-and-Gold brigade secured their spot in the preliminary round after claiming victory in the Kalinga Super Cup 2024 earlier this year. They will face Altyn Asyr, a team from Turkmenistan, on Thursday at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. East Bengal will be aiming to continue their impressive rise under head coach Carles Cuadrat.
The club has made significant additions to their roster ahead of the new season, signing players like Dimitrios Diamantakos, Madih Talal, David Lalhlansanga, and Jeakson Singh. They further bolstered their squad with the arrivals of Hector Yuste and Anwar Ali. However, Anwar Ali’s transfer from rival club Mohun Bagan Super Giant has been the most controversial move. The defender prematurely ended his four-year loan deal with Mohun Bagan and signed a permanent contract with East Bengal on August 13, after receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Players’ Status Committee of the All India Football Federation.
While Anwar Ali’s transfer is complete, he is unlikely to be in the starting lineup for the ACL preliminary round match. His registration is pending until he completes his medical and receives clearance from Cuadrat and his coaching staff. Ali arrived in Kolkata on August 11, finalized the transfer the next day, and was officially introduced by club official Debabrata Sarkar on August 13.
Furthermore, central defender Hector Yuste will also miss the match due to ongoing visa issues. Once he resolves these matters, he will be available to play for East Bengal.
With a strong squad and a determined coach, East Bengal will be looking to make a statement on the continental stage as they return to the AFC Champions League.
