Game for Southern throne: BFC, Kerala lock horns in 200th ISL game

NT Bengaluru: The first time we played Kerala, I did not anticipate the rivalry growing the way it has. It won’t be wrong to say this is one of the best games for a neutral to watch. You can feel the rivalry building up. Fans mark this game on their calendars, and I’m sure it’s the same for Saturday’s game,” said Sunil Chhetri, who has seen Bengaluru FC (BFC) defeat archrivals Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) nine times. He and his team would be more than happy to make it ten, as high-flying Bengaluru FC take on a struggling KBFC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Earlier in Kochi, the Blues emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline, courtesy of a brace from Edgar Mendez.

For BFC faithful, there's nothing like a weekend where you have bragging rights over your rivals, with whom matches have shifted the tectonic plates of Indian football. For Chhetri, whose free-kick goal in the 2023 knockout match against the same opponents prompted them to "walk out" of the match, the rivalry has reached new heights. “Of course, it feels nice as a BFC player to have raised the stakes, and for a neutral, it is good for the league and Indian football,” he added. The first time they locked horns was in 2017 at Kochi, where Bengaluru took home three points. Since then, it’s the Blues who’ve claimed the lion’s share of wins. Chants in the stadium and social media banter make the rivalry more intense, and fans are expected to fill the stands.

The last time both teams faced off here, a total of 28,000 fans attended, setting the current record count. Chhetri also downplayed how home advantage has made BFC a stronger team. “We are one of the few clubs where our wins dominate, as the statistics show.”