Super Cup | East Bengal to opt out of tournament

Super Cup | East Bengal to opt out of tournament

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Kolkata-based football club East Bengal has decided not to play the AIFF-organised Super Cup football tournament to be held from today. However, East Bengal has also decided to pull out of the I-League next season and bid for a place in the next edition of the Indian Super League.

With the second edition of the Super Cup all set to start from today in Bhubaneswar, the differences between the I-League clubs and the All India Football Federation seems to have grown. East Bengal has made it clear that the decision has been taken as the club thinks it is “unethical” to withdraw from the eight-club alliance which is protesting against the football federation. Earlier, the executive committee of the club was in favour of playing the Super Cup and tried to convince the investor Quess Corp regarding the same. The Kolkata club has declared its support to the eight I-League club-alliance that recently met the AIFF to discuss about the future of league football in the country.

“It would be unethical for us to come out of the Alliance,” a statement from the club read, reported Sportstar.

East Bengal was scheduled to meet ISL team Delhi Dynamos FC in the first round of the tournament on Saturday. Meanwhile, the club will bid for a place in the sixth edition of the Indian Super League to be held this year but only “if the terms are financially acceptable.” 

As far as the Super Cup is concerned, Mohun Bagan is the only team which has not registered for the knock-out tournament which is played between the ISL and I-League teams. The I-League champions Chennai City FC has said that it will have to consider joining the alliance as the AFC Champions League play-off spot is at stake.

“Considering our AFC Champions League spot is at stake, we are contemplating playing the Super Cup,” Chennai Ctiy FC owner Rohit Ramesh told Sportstar. 

Churchill Brothers and NEROCA FC also want to be a part of the Super Cup while Real Kashmir FC has already confirmed that it is going to take part in the competition which will begin from today with Mumbai City FC taking on Chennaiyin FC at the Kalinga Stadium.

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