East Bengal look to overcome blues as normalcy returns to ISL
Normalcy returns to the ISL after two closed-door seasons in Goa because of the COVID-19 pandemic as the league will be played once again in its usual home-away format with fans back in the stadiums. There's still no promotion and relegation yet but the ninth season will see the top two from the league making the semi-finals directly, while the remaining two spots will be determined from a single-leg playoff among the third to sixth placed teams. On paper, the three-time finalists and the home side, despite losing their key attackers Alvaro Vasquez (FC Goa) and Jorge Pereyra Diaz (Mumbai City), look much stronger than the century-old club from Kolkata who are still making baby steps in the franchise-based league.


