Bengaluru, Sep 12 (Agency) Bengaluru FC on Sunday announced their 22-man squad for the 2021 Durand Cup, which is underway in Kolkata. The 130th Edition of the tournament marks the Blues’ third appearance in the competition, with Bengaluru having made it to the semifinals once, losing out to Salgaocar on penalties in their debut campaign in 2014. The club’s most recent appearance came in the 2019 edition, where they finished second in their group.
Naushad Moosa, assistant to Blues Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli, will step into the role of coach for the tournament, with Rajan Mani, who serves as assistant coach for the BFC Reserves, donning the same role for the Durand Cup. The Bengaluru squad, a mix of first team players and Blue Colts, has as many as 10 players from the BFC B team who are yet to make their senior team bow. The squad also features two U18 players in Louis Macarton Nickson and Lalthangliana, as part of the club’s continuous player development philosophy. Traditionally organised by the Indian Army, this year’s competition sees the West Bengal Government as the joint hosts of the tournament.