Xtra Time Web Desk: In an unprecedented turn of events, Mohun Bagan Super Giants did not turn up for the Kolkata League derby against East Bengal FC, scheduled on Thursday, November 30 at the Naihati stadium. According to the rules, East Bengal was supposed to be awarded full points. But Indian Football Association (IFA) has decided to abandon the match.
The team list handed to the media had only the East Bengal FC players name on one side while it was blank under Mohun Bagan SuperGiants. East Bengal FC players were seen warming up before the kick-off.
In the last few days Mohun Bagan SuperGiants has written multiple times to Indian Football Association (IFA) the parent body of Bengal football to consider postponing Thursday’s CFL Super Six derby against East Bengal in Naihati, citing congestion of fixtures and highlighting “ineffective scheduling by IFA. But IFA secretary Anirban Dutta was adamant to go ahead with the Kolkata derby on November 30.
There was another reason linked with Bagan’s objection as their upcoming ISL matches against hosts Hyderabad FC has been shifted to Bhubaneshwar because of the Telangana assembly elections. Juan Ferrando’s side is scheduled to leave for Odisha’s capital city on Thursday evening.
Talking about walkover in Kolkata derby, there has been at least six instances where either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan has decided against putting up a team. The first such instance was in 1939 when East Bengal gave walkover in Calcutta League. In 1954 and 1968, East Bengal did not field a team against Mohun Bagan in CFL derby. Mohun Bagan gave walkover to East Bengal in 1974, 1985 and 2016.