I-League 2017: 5 most controversial moments from East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan encounters
Derby games are always captivating for the fans be it the geography of the teams involved, their history against each other, scale of success or simply the opportunity of having a go for each other's heads in front of a sold-out crowd.
Football makes up a significant proportion of the lifestyle in Bengal and the Kolkata Derby contested between the 'Red and Golds' of East Bengal and the 'Maroon Brigade' of Mohun Bagan is quite easily the most looked up fixture on the calendar every year. The teams face each other at least three times every year, once in the Calcutta Football League and twice in India's national football league or the I-League.
The two sides will lock horns for the first time in the I-League this season on Sunday and the game promises to be nothing short of spectacular.
However, the supporters of both clubs have a reputation of being critical and there have been instances when they were hard to control. Here we take a look at the 5 most controversial moments in the history of one of Asia's biggest rivalry.
#5 Shankar Lal Chakrabarti sending off in 2016
The highly-contested derby at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri back in 2016 lived up to the expectations of being a high voltage thriller in front of a sell-out crowd. The hosts ran out eventual winners thanks two goals from South Korean Do Dong-Hyun, including one from a controversial penalty that was awarded to the Red and Golds.
Mohun Bagan's assistant manager Shankar Lal Chakrabarti, who took command on the touchline on the night instead of the banned Sanjoy Sen, was sent off by the referee for protesting against a decision.
However, that was not the end of it as Mohun Bagan pulled a goal back through Katsumi Yusa in the 83rd minute and received a huge opportunity to get something out of the game when they were awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of the game.
In spite of all that drama, it was not meant to be for the Mariners on the night and Jeje Lalpekhlua failed to convert from the spot-kick.