Mohun Bagan  

The I-League runners-up, East Bengal, with a well-oiled unit under Alejandro Menendez, start as favourites against Mohun Bagan who are still grappling to find a perfect combination under fellow Spaniard Kibu Vicuna

On the field, it was former Argentina forward Javier Saviola who drew first blood on the same field where his 2006 World Cup teammate and city heartthrob Lionel Messi dazzled in a friendly fixture against Venezuela seven years ago

'Had daughters for seven consecutive years, suddenly a son is born. How would you feel then, brother? That's how I'm feeling now,' said Swapan Sadhan Bose

'The histories of both the clubs date back to more than a century. FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and our club was founded in 1889. Hence, we match each other in the legacy. It will be our honour to face a club that is rated amongst the topmost clubs in the world,' Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra said