MISTER’S NOTES
Good evening everyone,
It would be safe to assume that the
Fortress is buzzing more than always and I
hope it’s the kind of atmosphere where you
cannot hear the person next to you. I’m
going to put it out there at the very
beginning - we will need your voices for
every single minute that the team is
battling on the pitch. You’ve pulled us
through, many times this season, and today
could well be the most important assist
you’ve given us yet.
We come to the Fortress with an away goal
and a second half performance in Guwahati
that deserved a lot more. It was hard to
concede a goal like that, with what was the
last kick of the game. But neither has our
belief nor have our shoulders dropped. We
know what we need to do, and more
importantly, we know where we have the
chance to do it at.
The Fortress has been the stage for so
many magical nights and I’ve had the
pleasure of witnessing more than just a few
of them. When Johor came here in the AFC
Cup, we put behind an early blow and went
on to win 4-2 on aggregate and I don’t think
anyone needs reminding of that game. Last
season in the ISL, we returned from Pune
with no away goal to show for, and made
our way to the final with a 3-1 victory.
Tonight presents us the chance to add to
that list. The club has taken part in a
semifinal game five times in its history and
we’ve never fallen short. That is a
testament to the character of Bengaluru
FC. I have no doubt that this same
character will be a part of the dressing
room today. More importantly, our home,
this season, has been impregnable. We
haven’t lost at the Kanteerava and that
should serve as big motivation.
There were more than a few takeaways
from the first leg that we will be using to
push us today. Xisco finally got a goal for
himself and he thoroughly deserved it. Alex
had his first start for the club and didn’t
stop working hard. NorthEast didn’t have
anything on us after the break and we know
we can be more dominant at home.
It’s going to be an interesting fixture today,
one that people all over will be watching
with anticipation. Football has a strange
beauty about the way it writes scripts.
Some days they are designed for you, other
days, not so much. But whatever unfolds
tonight, I am certain that we will be
wearing our hearts on our sleeves.
Let’s make magic together, one more time!
Love,
Carles

CAPTAIN’S CORNER
Hello Bengaluru,
This is your captain speaking. It’s been a
long and hard season and whether we get
the chance to finish it successfully,
completely depends on tonight. We may
have not come back from Guwahati with
the result we wanted, but we know what we
are capable of achieving at home. As it
stands, we may be down. But in no way are
we out.
I have been at the club for six seasons now,
and I have lost count of the number of
times this team has come back from the
dead, to win a game at home. We may
make all the headlines for those victories,
but the truth is that none of it would have
been possible without you, the special fans
of this special club.
Football has taken me to many cities and
even different countries, but never have I
felt a connect with fans elsewhere, like I
have felt with you. Your support is
discussed in the dressing room before and
even after games. We want to achieve
things for you and win trophies for you. It’s
a relationship that has only grown stronger
with every passing season.
Today we take on NorthEast United with the
biggest advantage we have. I’m not
speaking about the goal we have scored in
Guwahati. I’m speaking about the voices in
LOREM IPSUM
the stands at the Kanteerava. We will be
chasing this game from the very first
minute and I expect nothing less from all of
you in the stands.
We have had our fair share of problems
with injury this season, but we have
somehow managed to find a way. And that
is what has stood out the most for me at
Bengaluru FC. It’s great to have Miku back
because we all know the kind of quality he
brings to the team. On the other hand,
losing Erik has been a big blow. But these
are moments when everyone on the team
needs to give more than what they think
they can. Because at this stage, it is the
smallest of details that separate teams
.
There are many reasons that we will be
looking back on to serve as motivation for
today. But the biggest of them all, is a
chance to play the final. We fell short last
season and have been determined to fix it.
Today, we have our backs against the wall
and we must find a way.
It seems difficult to do this alone. But
together with you, we always believe!
Sunil Chhetri
ALL OR
It all comes down to a Monday
night at the Fortress where
Bengaluru FC have their task
cut out against NorthEast
United who stand in the way of
the Blues and a second
successive appearance in the
final of the Indian Super
League. Here’s a quick
breakdown of what’s at stake,
what could unfold, who holds
the key and finally, the
equation.
MILD ADVANTAGE
Bengaluru might have gone down 2-1 in
Guwahati, but bring a very vital away goal
back with them to the Fortress. The away
goals rule was introduced in the ISL last
season, and Xisco’s Hernandez’s first goal
for the club, could end up meaning a lot
more. Had the Blues not scored at the IG
Athletic Stadium, it would have left Carles
Cuadrat’s men with a mountain to climb.
But the Spaniard’s tap in from close in the
81st minute tilts the tide in favour of
Bengaluru, albeit mildly.
FLAWLESS AT THE FORTRESS
Cuadrat and the Blues will be buoyed by
the fact that they haven’t lost a game at
home this season. The Kanteerava has
been a Fortress in every sense of the term
where Bengaluru have won seven games
and drawn two in the league stages of the
competition. In another encouraging
statistic, Bengaluru have always found the
back of the net at the Kanteerava. There
won’t be a better time to extend this
record than tonight.
ON THE INJURED LIST
While Erik Paaratalu was ruled out for the
rest of the competition with a knee injury,
It’s a semifinal, we’re all focused,
the other team is focused. We
have the full squad and we have
been competitive. We know how
our team is and we know that we
can put up a good show at the
Kanteerava to comeback and
advance to the finals.
Carles Cuadrat

NorthEast had a double blow when their
talismanic striker Bartholomew Ogbeche
and Rowllin Borges suffered injuries in the
first leg in Guwahati. Barring a medical
miracle, the duo look certain to miss
tonight’s fixture in Bengaluru. Ogbeche
has been NorthEast’s star, scoring twelve
times this season, while Borges has
commanded the midfield with confidence.
Eelco Schattorie brought on Juan Mascia
and Nikhil Kadam to replace Ogbeche and
Borges respectively, and it needs to be
seen if the Dutchman chooses to start with
them in the reverse fixture.
SECOND LEG KINGS
Bengaluru FC will bank on their
experience of being involved in two-legged
knock-out fixtures in the past. The Blues
famously beat Malaysian side Johor 3-1 at
home after drawing 1-1 in the away leg,
NOTHING
The win gives us confidence and a
psychological punch for
Bengaluru. Hopefully we can
continue this in the next game but
it will be tough. It does not have
to be fantastic football, we need
to be realistic. I hope we can win
in Bengaluru.
Eelco Schattorie
THE BIG PREVIEW
and became the first Indian side to make
the AFC Cup final. Pitted against FC Pune
City in the semifinal of the ISL last season,
Bengaluru played out a goalless draw in
Pune, before quelling the visitors’
challenge with a 3-1 result at home.
Cuadrat will hope that the familiarity of
the situation will give his team the
confidence needed to get the job done,
once again.
EQUATION
The simplest result the Blues will need to
make the final is a 1-0 win tonight, thanks
to Xisco’s goal away from home. Should
the Blues win 2-1, extra time and then
penalties – if needed – will decide the
game. Should NorthEast United score two
goals or more, the Blues will need to win
the tie by a two-goal margin to book
tickets to the showpiece event in Mumbai.
BENGALURU
SQUAD
1 I GURPREET SINGH
2 I RAHUL BHEKE
3 I ALBERT SERRAN
4 I SAIRUAT KIMA
5 I JUAN GONZALEZ
6 I ERIK PAARTALU
7 I MIKU
8 I KEAN LEWIS
9 I LUISMA VILLA
10 I HARMANJOT KHABRA
11 I SUNIL CHHETRI
13 I RINO ANTO
14 I DIMAS DELGADO
16 I MYRON MENDES
17 I BOITHANG HAOKIP
18 I SEMBOI HAOKIP
19 I XISCO HERNANDEZ
21 I UDANTA SINGH
22 I NISHU KUMAR
23 I SORAM POIREI
24 I ÁLEX BARRERA
28 I PARAG SHRIVAS
32 I ADITYA PATRA
33 I GURSIMRAT SINGH
35 I AJAY CHHETRI
37 I EDMUND LALRINDIKA

HEAD COACH
CARLES CUADRAT
ASSISTANT COACH
GERARD ZARAGOZA
INDIAN ASSISTANT COACH
NAUSHAD MOOSA
 NORTHEAST
SQUAD
PAWAN KUMAR I 1
MISLAV KOMORSKI I 3
PROVAT LAKRA I 4
PAWAN KUMAR I 5
JOSE LEUDO I 6
LALREMPUIA FANAI I 7
GIRIK KHOSLA I 8
FEDERICO GALLEGO I 9
BARTHOLOMEW OGBECHE I 10
REAGAN SINGH I 12
TP REHENESH I 13
ROWLLIN BORGES I 14
KIVI ZHIMOMI I 15
GURWINDER SINGH I 16
MATO GRGIC I 18
ROBERT LALTHLAMUANA I 19
KEEGAN PEREIRA I 20
RUPERT NONGRUM I 21
REDEEM SINGH I 22
NIKHIL KADAM I 23
JUAN MASCIA I 24
SHOUVIK GHOSH I 26
PANAGIOTIS TRIADIS I 27
GURMEET I 31
LALTHATHANGA I 32

HEAD COACH
EELCO SCHATTORIE
ASSISTANT COACH
SHAUN ONTONG
INDIAN ASSISTANT COACH
SHUBHAM RABHA
COVER STORY

‘And After All,

You're My
Wonderwall…’
Much Of The Talk That Surrounds Bengaluru
Football Club’s Semifinal Second Leg Has
Been About The Atmosphere That The Blues’
Faithful Have So Often Created This Season At
A Home That Aptly Goes By The Moniker ‘The
Fortress’…
It may not look anything like the walls of the Kanteerava, or even
those that surround the Bangalore Football Stadium, but long
before Bengaluru FC was even named or formed, a decision had
been made; that a Fortress would be a part of its crest, and
always a part of the story.
It didn’t take long for Bengaluru to establish itself as a
powerhouse in Indian Football, but on the night of 19 October
2016, it was the might of Johor Darul Ta’zim that visited. Asia
has always been a different kettle of fish. Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s
left footed screamer had brought an away goal to Bengaluru, yet
the task was anything but easy in the second leg of an AFC
Cup semifinal.
With just eleven minutes on the clock, Safiq Rahim wiped the
slate clean. Bengaluru would have to turn up, and in a collective
crescendo, they did. In the stands, in the dugout, in the field. It
was magical. Chhetri with a brace, Juanan with a header.
Three-one to Bengaluru and the rest is history.
“There was something special tonight, and we could feel it. We
had to win and there was no way we were giving it away. This was
a one-of-a-kind experience for me, and with this support we can
go a long way. We are now a family, and I know this place will
remain a Fortress for us,” said Albert Roca that night. The
Spaniard sits in the stands tonight as his protégé, Carles
Cuadrat, leads the Blues to battle.
His words were carried on newspapers and magazines and will
be remembered for years to come. But what must not be
forgotten is that Roca’s glittering CV has FC Barcelona and
Galatasaray stamped on it.
There was something special
tonight, and we could feel it. We
had to win and there was no way
we were giving it away. This was a
one-of-a-kind experience for me,
and with this support we can go a
long way. We are now a family,
and I know this place will remain
a Fortress for us.
Albert Roca
COVER STORY
Skipper Sunil Chhetri, who scored two goals
and sat beside Roca at the post-match
press conference that night, reminded
everyone who had gathered. “If mister says
that the crowd and the atmosphere were
good, then you bet they were!” he said.
It would be his last game as Head Coach of
JDT, but Roberto Gomez didn’t shy away
from joining the bandwagon of people who
believed that the stadium, and the noise it
created, had played a part in the result.
“They call it a Fortress and it did seem like
one today. It was a rocking atmosphere and
we are happy that we played here. It was a
tough match,” he said, graceful as ever
in defeat.
October 19, 2016 will forever be etched in
the history of Bengaluru FC and Indian
Football, but at a different venue, the storyline
might not have been the same. The Fortress
played its part that night. It always has.
Fast forward two years and the spotlight
was bright on Cuadrat as he spoke into the
microphone at the Indira Gandhi Athletic
Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Between queries of tactics, injuries,
suspensions and more, he was asked about
the possibility of his opposition having more
fans in Bengaluru, than his side would see
in the stands at Guwahati. Carles offered a
response at his articulate best.
“It’s nice that NorthEast United have fans all
over the country. I am sure many of them
will come to watch them in Bengaluru. But
we play at the Fortress.”
We’ve seen it all before, when tactics and
substitutions have been tried and when the
rub of the green doesn’t seem to go their
way, Bengaluru FC has turned to the stands.
We’ve seen it from Cuadrat, who raises his
hands to the crowd, forcing delirium in the
opposite direction. It’s happened far too
often to be considered coincidence; the late
win against the Dynamos, the draw against
the Blasters, and most recently the
drubbing of FC Goa.
While he’s measured in his delivery, Cuadrat
does little to hide the emotion that he gets
from the supporters. More often than not,
his gratitude is lost in print media deadlines
and word limits, but he stuck his head into
the media room at the BFS after a matchday
to make sure we didn’t forget.
“It’s usually the team that does things on
the pitch to raise the noise in the stands.
This year, it has been the opposite. Make
sure you convey this to them.” Andy
Paschalidis, barely audible with his
microphone picking up the noise from
every corner of the Fortress, said this:
“That’s the noise that will inspire you out
in the middle.”
We’re sure that the floodlights will be
switched on when you read this and when
the Blues take the pitch, it’s the stands that
will make the difference. Cuadrat’s men
may cover every blade of grass but it will be
the Fortress that brings the fight.
UDANTA ROBERT
SINGH LALTLHAMUANA

FLASH AND HIS FOE

Udanta, who played the full game in Guwahati, was not at his usual
best but made important contributions on both ends of the pitch.
Often dropping down to aid the defence, Udanta had the occasional
dangerous runs into the box but lacked the killer pass. Meanwhile
Robert, who played at left-back, stood in as the skipper in the
second half with the injury to Ogbeche, and was crucial in blocking
Udanta’s runs. The defender managed a 73% pass accuracy, making
two tackles and interceptions each, apart from five important
clearances. This battle is bound to be interesting.

MIKU MATO
GRGIC

FIRE AND ICE

While the Blues’ Venezuelan hitman was constantly marked by
multiple defenders throughout the game, it was Grgic who made
it his task to allow little space to the former. In fact, the Croatian
defender was assisted by Rivas and Leudo in stopping Miku, but
the Bengaluru striker is quite used to this kind of treatment. The
Blues’ No. 7 played intelligently dropping back and even fed
Chhetri who then set up Xisco’s equaliser. Despite not getting a
clear attempt on goal, Miku will be the main man up front for the
Blues tonight as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit.
DIMAS LALTHATHANGA
DELGADO KHAWLRING

MIDFIELD DUEL
At first sight, this might seem like a mismatch considering the vast
difference between age and experience. However, despite the gap,
20-year-old Lalthathanga put up a good show on Thursday with
Schattorie putting him against Dimas. Both players form the link
between the defence and attack for their respective sides and tasked
with set-pieces. Their roles are similar on the pitch and it will be
interesting to see how this battle unfolds. What we can be sure of is
the fact that the Spanish Maestro will be at his den and will hope to
cause more damage tonight.

JUANAN FEDERICO
GONZALEZ GALLEGO

ATTACK v DEFENCE
Gallego will be the visitors’ main man tonight. He is only one of
two players to have scored in multiple games against the Blues
this season and created quite a few close opportunities for the
Highlanders last week. Meanwhile, Juanan was at his usual best
for the Blues and made some important blocks in the first half. In
fact, Cuadrat’s trusted man at the back clocked 91% pass
accuracy on a night where the Bengaluru were up against a tough
team. The Spaniard will be key for the Blues tonight as they look
to overturn a deficit while aiming to not concede an away goal.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Ahead Of Tonight’s Indian
Super League Semifinal At The
Fortress, The Blues Had A
Special ‘Fan’ Turn Up To Give
Them That Extra Push. We
Caught Up With Former
Bengaluru Boss Albert Roca…
How much have you missed
Bengaluru?
I have to say I have missed this city a lot.
It is one of the reasons I am here again. It
is always a pleasure to come and support
any team in such an important moment,
and Bengaluru FC is so close to my heart,
I had to come.
This club has given me so much and just
by being here, I want to try and give back a
little bit that the club gave to me.
Do you think you coming back will
help the team?
I want to try and be a motivation for these
players but, I don’t think that they need
me. My support is there, but they have to
prove themselves and that they are
capable of winning the semifinal again and
hopefully reach the final. I know that the
players have shown that they are the best
team in the ISL once again. They have put
on an incredible performance in every
game and that is how they have finished
on top of the table. I am very happy and
very proud to see that the team is getting
better and better.
Your assessment of Carles Cuadrat’s
first season as Head Coach?
I always told Carles that he would make a

good Head Coach and I think I was right!
The team is much better than when I was
here and I was always confident that he
would do a good job. It’s not just him, it is
also Gerard, Mikel, Senen, Javi, Alwin and
all the people that were here last year.
I am really happy to see that Carles has
the potential to be a big coach and he has
shown that all season. I wish that he gets
to lift the title that I was not able to, and if
he can I will be really happy for him.
How much have you been following
Bengaluru FC while you were away?
This club will always, always be close to my
heart. I have always spoken to Alwin, the
team analyst, asking him to send me a few
games in the ISL because I wanted to see
for myself how the team was performing. I
like football and as I said to you, Carles and
OLD FRIEND
I really want BFC to succeed.
It makes me proud that the team is still in
the top position in India and now let’s see
if the team can win the title. I know it is
possible because they have proved that
they are capable of it.
What will it feel like to come to the
stadium once again?
I’m sure I will feel what I have felt before -
goosebumps! I have always been cheering
for the team and nothing has changed. It
will be a pleasure to be in the stands and
to support the team as they are on the
pitch. I am going to try and help the team
as much as possible, but on Monday I will
be in the stands and I will be supporting
them. I know how important it is for
everybody to see BFC reach another final
and hopefully, we can do it. What I know
for sure is that for this club,
nothing is impossible.
BENGALURU FC

4 DRAWS

SHOTS PASSES
227 7990 10 WINS

WIN PERCENTAGE
52.60%
5 LOSSES

TOP GOAL 1.58 GOALS PER GAME

SCORERS
8 GOALS 57 SAVES
CHHETRI

5 GOALS 3 RED CARDS

UDANTA

4 GOALS 33 YELLOW CARDS

MIKU

MOST ASSISTS MOST COMMON

5 ASSISTS RESULT
XISCO

4 ASSISTS
DIMAS
2-1
3 ASSISTS
MIKU, CHHETRI, KHABRA

KEY MEN - BENGALURU FC

GURPREET SINGH DIMAS DELGADO SUNIL CHHETRI

MOST MINUTES MOST PASSES MOST SHOTS
1620 953 46
 NORTHEAST UNITED

SHOTS PASSES
8 DRAWS 220 8735 8 WINS

WIN PERCENTAGE
42.10%

1.26 GOALS PER GAME

3 LOSSES TOP GOAL
SCORERS
40 SAVES 12 GOALS
OGBECHE

3 RED CARDS 4 GOALS

GALLEGO, BORGES

29 YELLOW CARDS 3 GOALS

MASCIA

MOST COMMON MOST ASSISTS

RESULT 5 ASSISTS
GALLEGO

1-1 2 ASSISTS
KEEGAN, OGBECHE, BORGES

KEY MEN - NORTHEAST UNITED

ROWLLIN BORGES FEDERICO GALLEGO OGBECHE

MOST MINUTES MOST PASSES MOST SHOTS
1666 1091 72