Durand Cup 2024-25: Mohun Bagan SG Defends Title Against Rivals in Upcoming Season

The 133rd Durand Cup will commence on July 27, kicking off the 2024-25 football season in Kolkata. Defending champions Mohun Bagan SG will face 23 other teams, including East Bengal FC, in a round-robin league format. Key matches include the iconic Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

The 133rd Durand Cup is set to inaugurate the 2024-25 football season on July 27 in Kolkata. Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face Downtown Heroes FC in the opening match. This season, 24 teams will compete in a round-robin league format. The six group winners and two best second-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage, according to a press release by the Indian Super League (ISL).

Group A of this historic domestic competition features two clubs with standout records: Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal FC. Downtown Heroes FC and Indian Air Force FT, representing the armed forces, will join them. Notably, the two finalists from the 2023 Durand Cup are again in the same group for a third consecutive year. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal remain the tournament's most successful teams, with 33 titles between them. Mohun Bagan has claimed 17 of those titles.

Last season saw East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clashing twice, once in the group stage and once in the final. East Bengal's Carles Cuadrat secured a win in the group stage, but the Mariners claimed their 17th Durand Cup title in the final. Fans eagerly await the Kolkata Derby, the final match of Group A at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which could determine which team advances to the knockout rounds.

Downtown Heroes FC, who debuted last season and are making their second appearance, aims to develop young talent. Based in Jammu and Kashmir, they also participated in the 2022-23 I-League Division 2 but did not reach the final round. Indian Air Force FT's participation could add an element of surprise, making the group stage qualification race intriguing.

Mohun Bagan SG begins their campaign as reigning champions. Along with the Durand Cup, they also clinched the ISL Shield last season. With head coach Jose Francisco Molina returning, the Mariners have strengthened their squad with notable signings like Jamie Maclaren, Greg Stewart, Alberto Rodriguez, and Tom Aldred. These additions underscore their determination to retain the title.

East Bengal FC has also enhanced their squad, signing standout players from last season, including Dimitrios Diamantakos, Madih Talal, and Jeakson Singh. After narrowly missing out on silverware last year, they aim to level the score with Mohun Bagan by securing their 17th Durand Cup title. Under Cuadrat, East Bengal has lost just one cup match, last season's Durand Cup final. With a balanced squad, they are poised for success in the upcoming season.

(With inputs from agencies.)