I-League 2017: Mohun Bagan conduct massive renovations at home ground for upcoming matches
What's the story?
Mohun Bagan got a boost ahead of their I-League tie against the Indian Arrows later this week as they are going to play the match on their club ground. The team management is leaving no stone unturned to upgrade the stadium to the set AIFF standards. The match against Chennai City is also scheduled to be played in the Maidan area.
In case you didn't know
Till now, Mohun Bagan used to play their home matches at either the Salt Lake Stadium or the Barasat Stadium. But after many speculations and some unforeseen circumstances, Mohun Bagan decided to host their home matches on their club ground. This will be the first time the ground will witness a top tier match after the inception of the National Football League in 1996.
The heart of the matter
East Bengal also had intentions of playing their home matches at the same venue but the officials decided not to go ahead with those plans after a huge uproar by the fans on social media.
The main problem that the ground had, was the absence of an away dressing room. New dugouts are also being installed at the venue. To increase the quality of the coverage, a tower is being installed for the cameras.
“We are making everything according to I-League standards. New furniture has been bought for the dressing rooms, special emphasis has been given to create room for the cameras,” said a club official.
Mohun Bagan are currently facing a lot of injury problems with Japanese Yuta Kinowaki already out of action for almost the last three matches. Haitian playmaker Sony Norde is also not 100% fit and is not sure of making a start in the next match. Mohun Bagan will be hoping to field their best XI in the upcoming matches to make their chances of winning the I-League brighter.
Here are some of the photos of the new dressing room:
What's next?
The last time Mohun Bagan played at the Barasat Stadium, several players got injured due to the ground conditions, especially because it was an artificial turf. The injuries were a major setback for the Kolkata giants in the next few matches. It will be interesting to see if the field suits the players, when they take on the Indian Arrows on December 29.
Author's take
If everything goes as per plan and the venue successfully hosts both the matches without any remarks, it will be great for the club’s future. Alternatively, Mohun Bagan will have no problems even if the Salt Lake stadium is not available for hosting their matches.