ISL 2020-21, BFC vs CFC Live Football Score: Bengaluru FC faces Chennaiyin FC

This is Sportstar's ISL LIVE match blog of the encounter between Bengaluru FC and Chennaiyin FC at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao on Friday.

6 PM: Here are the predicted XIs

Bengaluru FC predicted XI (4-2-3-1)

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Harmanjot Khabra, Francisco Gonzalez, Pratik Chaudhari, Ajith Kumar; Erik Paartalu, Suresh Wangjam; Udanta Singh, Kristian Opseth, Sunil Chhetri; Cleiton Silva.

Chennaiyin FC predicted XI (4-4-2)

Vishal Kaith; Reagan Singh, Eli Sabia, Enes Sipovic, Jerry Lalrinzuala; Anirudh Thapa, Memo Moura, Manuel Lanzarote, Lallianzuala Chhangte; Esmael Goncalves, Rahim Ali.

5.45 PM: Podcast - The merger between ATK and Mohun Bagan for ISL 2020-21 seemed like a match made in heaven, but fans didn't look pleased. Our reporters Shyam Vasudevan, Aashin Prasad and Amitabha Das Sharma delve into the reasons behind fans' displeasure and the raging hashtag #RemoveATK in the latest episode of 'The Full Time Show'.

Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21.

The seventh edition of the Indian Super League got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.

The tournament, spanning over four months, will see 11 teams play each other in a league and playoff format across three venues. Following the inclusion of SC East Bengal, this season will feature 115 games, up from 95 last season.

ISL 2020: Points Table

MATCH PREVIEW:

After snapping its eight-match winless run with a 2-0 win over SC East Bengal, Bengaluru FC (BFC) will look to steal a march over its rivals in the battle for the last playoff berth when it takes on Chennaiyin FC at the Fatorda Stadium on Friday.

In sixth position with 18 points, the 2018-19 champion is four points off the fourth spot, and would want to build on the positive result. Chennaiyin, eighth in the table with two fewer points, will be hoping to get out of a slump that has seen two draws and two defeats in the last four matches.

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But BFC interim coach Naushad Moosa will have to reshuffle his side again. Defender Rahul Bheke will be missing after having picked up his fourth yellow card, while youngster Leon Augustine – a breath of fresh air in recent games – is out with a hamstring injury. On match-eve, Moosa confirmed that defensive mainstay Juanan was unlikely to recover from the hamstring strain he suffered a week ago against Hyderabad FC.

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The return of midfielder Erik Paartalu from suspension should however give the side a fillip. New signing Xisco Hernandez is out of mandatory quarantine and available, though his long break from competitive football means he will only be eased into the squad and not thrusted in. The news that midfielder Dimas Delgado has returned to India will warm the BFC fans’ hearts, though he may be available only for the last two ties.

On the other hand, Chennaiyin boss Csaba Laszlo has his full roster of foreign players available for selection. It will serve the team well if Manuel Lanzarote, who has come in for the injured Rafael Crivellaro, can lend the midfield some creativity. Leading up to the contest, Chennaiyin has scored just once in four games.

Anirudh Thapa is in contention too and will hope to be more of an influence than he was in the narrow 1-0 loss in the reverse fixture in early December in which he limped off after just 15 minutes.

“With Thapa, I told him not to hurry because after his first injury he came back very quickly and got injured again,” said Laszlo. “But he's mentally and physically fit. We helped him come back from injury and he will help the team to get a victory over Bengaluru.”

“If we want to be in the top four, we have to win the remaining games. We have five finals. I hope we can showcase not just good football but also score goals. We created so many chances but didn't score. I hope that we have more luck against Bengaluru,” Laszlo added.