ISL 2024-25: Anirudh Thapa doubtful, Saul Crespo unavailable for Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal

ISL 2024-25: Anirudh Thapa doubtful, Saul Crespo unavailable for Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal

Mohun Bagan Super Giant was handed a setback before the Kolkata derby as midfielder Anirudh Thapa picked up an injury on Wednesday morning, rendering him doubtful for the match on January 11.

Sportstar understands that the 26-year-old attempted a backheel during a training session and injured his right foot in the process, leaving the field early. The club has not given an update on the injury as it awaits scans scheduled later this evening.

Thapa, the former captain of Chennaiyin FC, joined Mohun Bagan in June 2023 and has played 50 games for the club, scoring four goals and assisting twice. He had started in both of Mariners’ last two matches, with the Kolkata-based outfit winning both.

Thapa’s injury would add to the woes of Mohun Bagan coach Jose Molina, with the team also missing injured winger Ashique Kuruniyan for the derby in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, East Bengal will miss out on Saul Crespo’s services against Mohun Bagan after the midfielder pulled his left hamstring against Chennaiyin FC on January 7.

Crespo’s injury came on the heels of East Bengal losing French midfielder Madih Talal for the season due to an ACL injury.

East Bengal’s head coach Oscar Bruzon confirmed that his team will be without Crespo for nearly a month.

“Fully fit? No, he cannot be for four weeks. He started jogging last week, so it’s going to take time,” Bruzon said.

“We have Jeakson (Singh) and Souvik (Chakrabarti) – as midfielders – obviously, depending on the opponents – if we need to be more holding or if we need to go more for attack.”

The Red-and-Gold Brigade has looked promising under its new coach but since Crespo’s injury, it has lost twice in the last five games, compared to none in the five before.

Bruzon’s timeline indicates that Crespo could only be back just before the return clash against Chennaiyin FC or that against Mohammedan Sporting, next month.

“They (the current set of midfielders) are good players but it’s true that they perform much better when they have one foreigner on their side,” Bruzon added.

Crespo, who joined East Bengal in 2023, after winning the Super Cup with Odisha FC, has 10 goals and two assists for the club so far and has played more in a defensive role rather than an attacking one under Bruzon.

“Saul is a key player for us. There is no doubt about that, especially when we want to dominate, play in the opposition half and control games. But we don’t have it,” Bruzon sighed.

“So, we are trying to find solutions. In every game, it seems that we are not finding the consistency in the midfield.”

East Bengal has never beaten Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League, having lost eight of the nine clashes and drawing the remaining one in the competition.

With no Crespo and a depleted squad, Bruzon will hope to beat the odds and break the duck in his first Kolkata derby, miles away from the City of Joy.