Son of soil Sumit Rathi, who hails from Muzaffarnagar, will add local flavour by wearing the captain’s arm-band when Mohun Bagan take on arch-rivals East Bengal in a promotional derby on Monday.
The 23-year-old Rathi, who was part of the Mohun Bagan’s ISL Winners Shield grabbing squad last season, has been named the captain as a “special honour”.
“He is the son of the soil and the only player from Uttar Pradesh who plays for Mohun Bagan. He will also add local flavour to the match. It’s fitting that he leads the side in this one-off match,” an official told PTI.
The match is part of the initiative by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Uttar Pradesh Football Sangh, and Krida Bharti to develop football across the state.
With the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) slated to start in two weeks’ time, both the teams have sent their developmental squads which were competing in the Premier Division Calcutta Football League.
Mohun Bagan coach Deggie Cardoza said the match would be played with all seriousness.
“A derby always excites the fans, whenever and wherever it is played,” said Cardoza. “We want to prepare well, play the match seriously, and return home as the winners.”
“I hope this match will inspire more youngsters to take up football, and in the future, we get a lot more quality players from UP,” he added.
East Bengal head coach Bino George also promised a tough fight.
“East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are traditional rivals with huge fan bases. Whenever the two teams meet, the fans get emotional.
“The emotion is generated in footballers too. After all, this is a Derby and will be fought with its usual flair and keenness. Fans have already begun messaging us on the match. This is going to be an extremely serious affair,” said George.
The ‘City of Nawab’ is home to hockey legend KD Singh ‘Babu’, star athlete Henry Rebello and champion shuttler Syed Modi, to name a few but big time football is making its maiden foray into Lucknow.
“It is such a big state with so many districts. If we can popularise football there even a bit, we could see so many talented players coming through. I really appreciate this initiative by the AIFF to bring such a big match to Lucknow,” George said.
Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have clashed against each other 340 times in 22 cities spread all over the country since their classical rivalry began in Kolkata in 1925.
But this is for the first time they will clash in Lucknow.
East Bengal, in its 104 years of rich history, never played in the Uttar Pradesh capital, while Mohun Bagan, established in 1889, will take the pitch in Lucknow after 69 years.
The only time they played here was on August 30, 1955, drawing an exhibition match 1-1 with the Lucknow XI.
The AIFF has initiated a plan to distribute 96,455 footballs in 75 districts in 21,551 schools through Navodaya Vidyalaya in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
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