East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon exuded confidence after the draw against Mohun Bagan Super Giant that secured his side’s spot in the semi-finals of the AIFF Super Cup on Friday.
After the Super Cup deadlock, the Spaniard praised the club’s preparation for the 2025/26 season despite there being no certainty about the new Indian Super League (ISL) season.
«I am happy to have the benefit of good planning for the start of the season in July with the squad almost ready. This is one of the reasons why East Bengal was able to progress in this tournament and improve its game,» he said.
East Bengal and Bagan were among the few ISL teams that had started their pre-season in July and started the 2025-26 campaign with the Durand Cup, an invitation-only tournament.
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And before Durand started, East Bengal’s transfer activities were almost complete.
However, there was some friction as former captain Cleiton Silva left after falling out with Bruzon, while Dimitrios Diamantakos, East Bengal’s hero in the Kolkata derby win in Durand, left for the AIFF Super Cup.
«The Super Cup is a tournament where you can field six foreigners. We planned to have foreigners with different characteristics, and that was something we planned from the beginning,» Bruzon said.
Foreigners out: Dimitrios Diamantakos, Madih Talal, Richard Celis, Raphaël Messi Bouli, Hijazi Maher, Hector Yuste.
Foreigners in: Kevin Sibille, Hamid Ahadad, Miguel Ferreira, Mohammed Rashid, Hiroshi Ibusuki.
«We only kept Saul (Crespo among the foreigners) last year. I think we have been very conscious. We have been planning this team since May last year. It is not that we brought the players in slowly and gradually. I think after struggling last season, we were very concerned about how we wanted to build the team.»
Among the prominent Indian players, East Bengal signed Super Cup champion Jay Gupta, I-League winner Edmund Lalrindika and Bipin Singh, two-time ISL Shield and Cup winner. Jay and Bipin are regulars in the first team this season.
“We started planning, scouting, analyzing, following up and consulting with the players a long time ago. I am happy that today we had the advantage of doing things the right way,” said Bruzon.
East Bengal will now take a week’s break and then start preparations again, with the semi-finals expected in the last week of November.
«We are coming out of a very stressful period. We really need a break. We played back-to-back games in the IFA Shield and then had the Super Cup,» Bruzon said.
“It is true that with the momentum of the team now, we want to continue competing. But it is also true that we are all very exhausted after the effort, energy and concentration we have put in over the past three weeks.”
The Red and Gold Brigade is just two steps away from a place in Asia. But Bruzon softened any title expectations.
“A lot of people ask about winning trophies, and I don’t think we have the right to ask for trophies, especially after the bad seasons in the past,” Bruzon said.
Interestingly, the last time the Super Cup was won by a club from Kolkata, it was over East Bengal in 2024, under coach Carles Cuadrat, Bruzon’s predecessor.
«We have to go with a low profile. It is still very early in the season. What I can say is that this team is ready to compete with all the major Indian powerhouses,» Bruzon added.
Published on November 1, 2025
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