Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan may face each other in the AFC Cup 2017 group stage

THERE'S A HIGH likelihood that I-League title race rivals Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC will play each other 4 times this season. 

Today, as the draw for the AFC Cup 2017 took place, both the Indian top division clubs were tipped for a place in Group E in the second tier continental championship.

Bengaluru FC, who are facing Jordanian club Al Wehdat in the AFC Champions League Preliminary Round 2, must win that game and the subsequent Play-off encounter to make it to the ACL Group Stage. If not, they will drop down to the AFC Cup Group E.

Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan will have to play the AFC Cup qualifiers. First they will face Colombo FC from Sri Lanka (31st January away, 7th February home) and if they win that, they will face either Bhutan's Thimpu FC or Club Valencia from Maldives in the playoffs. The winner will make it to the Group E of AFC Cup.

If both Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC make it to the Group E, they will face off with Maziya from Malaysia and Abahani Dhaka from Bangladesh for a place in the knockout rounds. 

In case Bengaluru FC make it to the ACL Group Stage, then East Bengal will enter the group as a stand-by team.

Bengaluru and Bagan have shared the laurels in the two highest competitions in Indian football, I-League and Federation Cup, for 2 seasons now. They have played some hard-fought, crucial matches against each other, including the fabled league title decider on 31st May 2015. The Blues have not tasted a win against the Mariners since 6th April 2014, but if they do end up playing each other 4 times this season, they will have plenty of opportunities to change that.

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