Hyderabad kick-off 2023-24 ISL campaign on Saturday

Hyderabad: After a long wait for the return of Indian Super League action, the Yellow and Black will finally take the field this weekend when they travel to Kolkata to take on East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, September 30.

The Nawabs are unbeaten against the Red and Gold Brigade in all competitions and will look to kick-off their campaign on a positive note in Kolkata.

East Bengal side played out a goalless draw against Jamshedpur in the opening round while Hyderabad, whose clash against FC Goa was postponed, will look to get off the mark in the points table in this clash.

Carles Cuadrat’s side have an exciting squad with former HFC stars Javi Siverio and Borja Herrera hitting the ground running in Kolkata. The likes of Cleiton Silva, Saul Crespo, Mahesh Naorem and Nandha Kumar will look to create havoc among HFC’s backline making it a tough clash for the Yellow and Black.

Speaking ahead of this game, HFC First Team Coach Conor Nestor said, “We can all see that East Bengal have a strong squad. They are organized, look well prepared and are a real threat in set-pieces.”

“They will be hungry for their first win in front of their home fans and I expect a tough game for my side,” he added.

Hyderabad, who were knocked out of the Durand Cup early, have had a vigorous pre-season. New faces Jonathan Moya, Petteri Pennanen, Joe Knowles, Felipe Amorim and Oswaldo Alanis will all be awaiting to get their first taste of Indian football in the city of Joy.

With the Indian core still intact at the club, Hyderabad, who also beat East Bengal in a pre-season friendly earlier in the month, will look to give their best in this crunch clash.

“We are a group that are willing to learn and fight for the jersey,” said Conor, speaking about his team.d

“The improvement has been huge over the last few weeks. They are a hungry group, willing to work hard and fight for the jersey and that is what the fans can expect this weekend,” he added.

Hyderabad will also sport a new-look coaching staff on the bench and will look to start a new chapter in their history on the right note.

The game kicks-off at 8:00 pm IST on Saturday, September 30.