02
JEFE
TALK
Good evening Bengaluru,
It’s matchday at the Fortress and I am not
going to build this up before I tell you that we
are in for what will be an engrossing fixture. I
sat down to write this after watching North-
East United – our opponents for today – beat
Chennaiyin FC 3-1 and there is a strong sense
of resurgence in the way Avram Grant’s team
has gone about things in the last few games.
They have beaten two of the top-four teams
on the table and they will come at us with
everything they have got.
We had a mixed set of results on the road but
I am glad we come into this game on the back
of a very strong win over Mumbai City FC. Our
defeat to Delhi Dynamos was disappointing,
not because we dropped points, but because
the manner in which we dropped them. I’ve
always stressed that the performance needs
to be strong consistently and the table will
take care of itself. Full credit to the boys for
bouncing back the way they did in Mumbai.
Earlier this week we had to travel all the way
to Thimphu in Bhutan, as we got our AFC Cup
campaign underway. With matches coming
thick and fast, I wanted to make use of the
depth we have in our squad, and we did well to
battle tough conditions as playing over 2300
meters above sea level isn't easy. It was also a
big day for all of us at the club, as Prashanth
Kalinga, who's come through the ranks, made
his debut. He has a bright future ahead of him,
and I'm sure he'll rise up to the occasion. With
the goalless draw, the tie remains balanced
and it will be the Fortress that decides the
result, but before that we have today's game
to focus on.
Three points today will help our bid to grab a
semifinal berth, immensely and we haven’t
set sights beyond that goal. It is important to
get closer to securing that play-off spot given
we play a possible seven games in February
and it will take a special effort to be consistent
with a calendar like that.
Like always, you fans will be part of my talk to
the team in the dressing room. The way you
have supported us at home and on the road
has been something that has kept us going
even during times when everything
seemed lost.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the
team and staff of NorthEast United. Let’s give
the fans a game to remember!
Love,
Albert Roca
 Scored 21 Conceded 13
W L W W L W
The Blues host NorthEast United as they
enter a hectic period of football with possibly
ten matches scheduled in a five-week period
with the 2018 edition of the AFC Cup kicking
off earlier this week.
The opponents for tonight are currently
ninth-placed in the standings, but that doesn’t
show the complete picture. After a slow-start
to the season, the arrival of former
Chelsea-coach Avram Grant sparked a
change in fortunes for the Highlanders who
have gone on to win twice in three games at
home ever since.
It all began with a 2-1 win over FC Goa at the
turn of the year, before a narrow 0-1 defeat to
ATK. They bounced back with a big 3-1 win
over Chennaiyin FC thanks to a hat-trick from
Scored 7 Conceded 15
L W L L
ex-Blue Seiminlen Doungel, their in-form
man. Bengaluru, on the other hand have had a
similar run of two wins and a loss in the ISL
since the turn of the year. A 1-0 win over ATK
at the Fortress was followed by a
disappointing defeat to Delhi in the capital.
The Blues’ made a stunning comeback with a
dominant performance against Mumbai and
the Boss will be hoping for a similar show
today.
Talking ex-Blues, Doungel is joined by former
BFC players Gursimrat Singh Gill and
alemngamba Meitei in the NEUFC squad.
Interestingly, the Highlanders have also
brought in a familiar face to assist Grant in
Dutchman Eelco Schattorie who faced the
Blues as United SC and East Bengal coach.
04
RECAP I NEUvBEN 8 DEC 2017
A HILLY CHALLENGE!
The Blues Came Up Against A Stubborn Northeast United
Outfit When The Two Sides Met In Guwahati in December
It took a strike from the Blues’ Venezuelan
hitman Miku to settle the scores at the Indira
Gandhi Athlete Stadium as Roca’s men found
the going tough against a resolute NorthEast
United defence in the reverse of today’s
fixture at the Fortress.
The result also marked Bengaluru’s first win
on the road in the Indian Super League, but it
wasn’t an easy one by any means!
With Lalthuammawia Ralte manning the
Blues’ goal Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s
suspension and Abhra Mondal’s injury,
Marcinho’s early effort was inches wide of
giving the hosts a lead. Implementing a
high-press, Udanta Singh latched onto a stray
pass from TP Rehenesh to set up Miku, who
made no mistake to slot home from inside
the box.
The Blues rode through a tough final few
minutes as Ralte pulled off two fine saves to
deny NorthEast an equalizer and seal the
Blues their first three points from an away
game.
The Avram Grant-coached side have turned a
tide of late and defeated high-flying
Chennaiyin FC last week and the Blues will
do well to avoid complacency from creeping
into the squad.
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 THE WEEK THAT WAS
ISL WRAP

Bengaluru leapfrogged Ex-Blue Seiminlen Doungel

Chennaiyin into the top spot
in the standings, after a 3-1
win over Mumbai City, their
first-ever win in the
Island City.
starred for NorthEast United
scoring the clubs first-ever
hat-trick in their 3-1 win
over Chennaiyin FC.

Mawihmingthanga scored
Ferran Corominas became
the fastest ever ISL goal in
the first player to reach 10
just 22 seconds against
goals this season after he
Kerala as Jamshedpur beat
scored the opener in Goa’s
them and Delhi to make it
2-1 win over Kerala Blasters.
two wins in the week.
08

COVER STORY
THE SILVER LINING
THE CLOUD
WE SAT DOWN WITH RAHUL BHEKE, WHO
SPOKE TO US ABOUT A JOURNEY FILLED
WITH DESPAIR, HARD WORK AND
SUCCESS THAT FOLLOWED...
n 2003, a 13-year-old Rahul Bheke would
head to the park outside his home with a
football, for a kick-about with his friends.
But that was about it. The Mumbai boy had
never wanted to play professionally, until he
didn’t get selected for his school’s U14
team. That’s right, he didn’t make the cut.
“My friend and I gave trials for our school
team but we weren’t selected. We were
allowed to train with them, but we’d watch
the team leave on the bus while we had to
stay back. In many ways, leaving me out of
that U14 team is the reason I am a
footballer today,” he says with an
expression that speaks of the joy of
reminiscence.
But, as he would learn over and over again
in his life, every cloud would have a silver
lining. “It hurt that I wasn’t selected
because I really liked playing football. I
worked harder and harder every day, until
later that year the coach decided to take me
with the team. It made me realize that with
hardwork, everything is possible.”
Coming through the ranks at Mahindra
United and then Mumbai Football Club
before moving to Air India, Bheke says his
parents did everything they could to make
sure his studies weren’t affected.
“When I moved to Air India, the club had
offered me twenty thousand rupees a
month. My parents knew that I could make a
career out of football, but they insisted that I
gave equal focus to my studies. In my third
year of college, I would play for Air India in
Pune, and then head back to Mumbai for my
tuitions. My bag would have my boots, my
kit and my text-books. Moosa bhai was my
coach then and he was always very
supportive. I sometimes played games and
then went straight to the exam hall!”
Consistent performances for Mumbai FC
earned Bheke a call from Kolkata in 2015.
East Bengal wanted his services and that’s
where he went. “I knew that I had to leave
my comfort zone if I was to improve as a
player. Everyone knew that life and football
in Kolkata was different and I knew I’d have
to wait for a chance, and when I did, I knew
had to take it!”
“It hurt that I wasn’t selected
because I really liked playing
football. I worked harder and
harder every day, until later that
year the coach decided to take me
with the team. It made me realize
that with hardwork, everything is
possible.”
Bheke went on to score three goals in his
first three games for East Bengal, including
a header against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan
at the Salt Lake Stadium, in a CFL clash.
Despite not being picked at the Indian Super
League draft months earlier, the call would
eventually come; a testimony to his
hard-work and perseverance.
“For the second time in my life, not being
selected had hit me hard, this time at the
ISL draft. I cried a lot because I’d been away
from home for a long time, and I knew I had
it in me to play in the ISL. I picked myself up
10
and did my job, and I got the chance.”
An injury to Nirmal Chettri meant Kerala
Blasters had to make a call, and Bheke was
at the other end of it. “They called me to
negotiate and I said I was happy with
whatever they offered. The money never
mattered to me because all I wanted was a
chance to play. I remember my debut in
Kochi, we won 3-1 and had scored a goal
from my long throw.”
He’s no stranger to the Fortress, with
Bheke scoring for Mumbai FC against the
Blues in a 1-1 draw in 2015, but he says that
joining Bengaluru FC was something he
hadn’t even dreamt of. “I’d heard many good
things about this club, but I hadn’t dared to
think that I’d get to play here in front of
these wonderful fans.”
Rahul Bheke spent the ISL draft day packing
his bags to head to Dubai for a vacation.
After four years as a journeyman, he’d
finally decided it was time for a break. But it
wasn’t to be.
“The day before the draft, a few of us had
met in Mumbai and Chhetri bhai was there
too. He mentioned that BFC were interested
in drafting me in, but everyone knows how
the draft system works so I did well to not
get my hopes up. When they called out my
name the next day, I was over the moon. To
think about it still gives me goosebumps. I
sometimes sit in the ice-bath with Chhetri
bhai and pinch myself to believe that I’m
actually in an ice-bath with Sunil Chhetri,
playing for Bengaluru Football Club.”
With the Blues’ heading to the AFC Cup
Inter-zone semifinals against 4.25 SC less
than a month from the draft day, the players
selected by the clubhad to make their way
to Bengaluru within two days of the draft.
Bheke’s packed bags came to Bengaluru
instead, as his family went do Dubai without
him.
“I’d planned that trip to Dubai for a while.
My parents had never been abroad and I
thought it was time to give them that
experience. Coming here meant that I had
to get on a different flight as they went to
Dubai with my brother, but like before, not
being allowed on a trip has only opened
bigger and better doors for me. When I was
a kid; many of my classmates would go on
paid trips to Italy and Spain to play football
while I stayed back. When I went to
Barcelona for pre-season with BFC and
then to North Korea for the AFC Cup, I
thought about those days and said to
myself, ‘none of those kids have ever been
here, have they?’ Trust me when I say
there’s always a silver lining.”
12 BEN SQUAD
Head Coach: Assistant Coach:
Albert Roca Marc Huguet

GOALKEEPERS
1 Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
28 Lathuammawia Ralte
32 Calvin Abhishek
DEFENDERS
2 Rahul Bheke
3 Collin Abranches
4 Zohmingliana Ralte
5 Juan Gonzalez
6 John Johnson
15 Subhasish Bose
22 Nishu Kumar
MIDFIELDERS
8 Lenny Rodrigues
10 Harmanjot Khabra
13 Eduardo Garcia
14 Dimas Delgado
16 Erik Paartalu
17 Boithang Haokip
19 Antonio Dovale
20 Alwyn George
30 Malsawmzuala
FORWARDS
7 Miku
9 Braulio Nobrega
11 Sunil Chhetri
18 Thongkhosiem Haokip
21 Udanta Singh
25 Daniel Lalhlimpuia
 NEU SQUAD
Head Coach:
Avram Grant

GOALKEEPERS
Ravi Kumar 1
TP Rehenesh 13
Ishan Debnath 30

DEFENDERS
Sambinha 3
Nirmal Chettri 4
Jose Goncalves 5
Reagan Singh 12
Abdul Hakku 15
Robert Lalthlamuana 16
Martin Diaz 21
Gursimrat Singh Gill 33

MIDFIELDERS
Odair Fortes 7
Adilson Goiano 8
Seiminlen Doungel 9
Marcinho 10
Halicharan Narzary 11
Rowllin Borges 14
Sushil Meitei 17
Malemngamba Meitei 18
Lalrindika Ralte 20
Lalrempuia Fanai 45

FORWARDS
Luis Alfonso 19
Danilo Lopes 99
16
KEY MEN
NEU
SEIMINLEN DOUNGEL
The former Blues striker has come alive since the turn of the new year
as life under newly appointed Avram Grant has seen him transform
into a scorer from a provider. Len has now netted four times in the last
three games after a sensational hat-trick against Chennaiyin FC last
week followed the winner against FC Goa two weeks earlier. The
forward will be a strong threat as he returns to the Fortress for the
first time after a three-year spell with the Blues.

MARCINHO
The Brazilian has been the driving force for the Highlanders in
the midfield. So far, he’s scored twice in two NorthEast
wins, and has also bagged an assist. Marcinho’s
experience of playing for numerous clubs in three
continents will come handy for Grant’s men and
they will rely on his experience to provide that
spark in the center of the park as he goes head to
head with Erik Paartalu and Dimas Delgado.

HALICHARAN NARZARY
The 23-year-old India-international will be another key player for the
Highlanders tonight. Narzary’s pacy runs down either flank will be a
cause of concern for Khabra and Subhasish who will have to negate
his accuracy with the deliveries. Despite having not scored a goal this
season, the winger boasts 60% passing accuracy and has provided two
assists so far, both resulting in a Highlanders’ win.
 KEY MEN
BEN
SUNIL CHHETRI
The skipper’s found his form back and has scored in the Blues’ last
three games on the trot. The winner against ATK was followed up by a
brace in Mumbai and with a week’s rest, be sure to catch the Blues’
number 11 at his best tonight. The League’s highest Indian scorer with
seven goals to his name, Chhetri will be keen to close the gap on his
Venezuelan strike partner, who has two more.

UDANTA SINGH
‘The Flash’ was a dear miss when the Blues went down to
Delhi at the JN Stadium and was the difference three days
later, as his pace and trickery contributed to Chhetri’s
second at the Mumbai Football Arena. Among the toughest
players to come up against, Udanta has been a key
contributor to the Blues’ attack, setting up threegoals for
Roca’s men so far. It’s only a matter of time before the young
Manipuri finds the back of the net himself!

ERIK PAARTALU
The big Aussie is a presence in defence, midfield, and in attack!
Erik Paartalu plays an important role in the Blues’ game plan, falling
deep to link up play with the defence, winning aerial duels in midfield
to keep possession and posing a threat with his 6’4 frame on set-piece
situations. Moreover, Paartalu’s ability to distribute possession with
his inch-perfect diagonal passes is key to the Blues’ blistering
pace down the wings.
FIXTURES AND RESULTS
NOVEMBER
19 BENGALURU FC vs MUMBAI CITY FC Sree Kanteerava Stadium 2-0

26 BENGALURU FC vs DELHI DYNAMOS FC Sree Kanteerava Stadium 4-1

30 FC GOA vs BENGALURU FC Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 4-3

DECEMBER
08 NORTHEAST UNITED FC vs BENGALURU FC Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium 0-1

15 FC PUNE CITY vs BENGALURU FC Balewadi Sports Complex 1-3

17 BENGALURU FC vs CHENNAIYIN FC Sree Kanteerava Stadium 1-2

21 BENGALURU FC vs JAMSHEDPUR FC Sree Kanteerava Stadium 0-1

31 KERALA BLASTERS vs BENGALURU FC Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 1-3

JANUARY
07 BENGALURU FC vs ATK Sree Kanteerava Stadium 1-0

14 DELHI DYNAMOS FC vs BENGALURU FC Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 2-0

18 MUMBAI CITY FC vs BENGALURU FC Mumbai Football Arena 1-3

23 TRANSPORT UNITED vs BENGALURU FC Changlimithang Stadium 0-0

26 BENGALURU FC vs NORTHEAST UNITED Sree Kanteerava Stadium -

30 BENGALURU FC vs TRANSPORT UNITED Sree Kanteerava Stadium -

FEBRUARY
03 ATK vs BENGALURU FC Salt Lake Stadium -

06 CHENNAIYIN FC vs BENGALURU FC Nehru Stadium -

09 BENGALURU FC vs FC GOA Sree Kanteerava Stadium -

16 BENGALURU FC vs FC PUNE CITY Sree Kanteerava Stadium -

-

25 JAMSHEDPUR FC vs BENGALURU FC Kalinga Stadium -

MARCH Sree Kanteerava Stadium -

01 BENGALURU FC vs KERALA BLASTERS Sree Kanteerava Stadium -