After last weekend’s match between Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan where both played a game that previously could not be played due to continental commitments, the I-League returns a gap of three weeks and in full force.

Bengaluru FC might have disrupted the Indian football scene on their entry three years ago but talk about marquee fixtures in the history of the sport in India and only one particular match-up comes to mind: the Kolkata derby.

This year it’s no different as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal face off against each other in an absolute pressure cooker situation. If the pressure of beating their eternal rivals wasn’t enough, both the teams are neck-and-neck in the title race and cannot afford a slip-up at this stage of the season. Will both teams play to win or to avoid a loss?

That game will be preceded by another belter: that of Aizawl going up against Bengaluru. If you had asked a neutral with an understanding of Indian football prior to the start of the season, they would have told you that it would be a match between a title-chasing side against a struggling one.

They would have been right, except for the fact that the roles have been remarkably reversed, with Aizawl chasing what would be a historic and a remarkable triumph. BFC on the other hand have had a topsy-turvy I-League season and are closer to bottom-placed Mumbai than they are to the leaders.

Here are some points to ponder before the start of the game:

Siliguri is all set to welcome @eastbengalfc . The city adore Red & Golds, love the club from the bottom of heart #MBvKEB #KolkataDerby pic.twitter.com/JwRfmVNEeh — Hero I-League (@ILeagueOfficial) April 7, 2017