For Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, winning the Calcutta Football League (CFL) title holds more importance than winning the I-League at the national stage. The CFL is older than the Federation Cup and the National Football League -- the predecessors of the I-League.
Indian Super League (ISL) doesn't even come in the scene.
The CFL which first played in 1898, resumes in its 119th edition of the football competition this August. Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting remain the strong teams, while East Bengal remains the most successful team in the history of the Indian football competition.
They are chasing an eighth-successive title at Calcutta Football League and their 39th overall.
Mohun Bagan, meanwhile, is chasing their 30th overall title.
Calcutta Football League 2017: All you need to know
List of teams: SAI (Eastern Zone), Food Corporation of India (Eastern Zone), United SC, Kalighat MS, Kidderpore SC, Aryan Club, Police AC, Bhowanipore Club, George Telegraph, Mohammedan Sporting, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal.
Venues: Barasat Stadium, Kalyani Stadium, Gayeshpur Stadium, Mohun Bagan Club Ground, Mohammedan Sporting Ground, Khardah Stadium.
Kolkata derby date: September 24
TV listing: Kolkata TV.
Time: The majority of matches are scheduled for a 3 pm IST kickoff.
Squads
East Bengal: Luis Barreto, Dibyendu Sarkar, Mirshad;
Lalramchullova, Tanmoy Ghosh, Mehtab Singh, Rahul Ghosh, Salam Ranjan Singh, Carlyle Mitchell, Deepak Kumar, Kaushik Sarkar, Gurwinder Singh, Samad Ali Mallick;
Mahmoud Al Amna, Brandon Vanlalremdika, Richard Costa, Surabuddin Mallick, Yami Longvah, Bidyasagar Singh, Lalchanchima, Gabriel Fernandes, Nikhil Poojary, Cavin Lobo, Laldanmawia Ralte;
Willis Deon Plaza, VP Suhair, Jobi Justin, T Suranjit Singh, Prakash Sarkar, Mohammed Rafique.
Mohun Bagan: Soramangbam Poirei, Shilton Paul, Shibinraj Kunniyil, Mithun Samanta;
Arijit Bagui, Suman Hazra, Sarthak Golui, Abhishek Das, Bikash Saini, Bikramjit Singh, Surajit Sil, Kinshuk Debnath (captain), Eze Kingsley, Ricky Lallammawma, Wasim Akram Mallick, Debabrata Roy, Gurjinder Kumar, Diogo Ferrerira;
Chesterpaul Lyngdoh, Pintu Mahata, Sourav Das, Denson Devadas, Raynier Fernandes, Shilton D'Silva, Rohit Mirza, Nikhil Kadam, Israil Gurung;
Azharuddin Mallick, Kamo Stephane Bayi, Ghanefo Ansumana Kromah, Naro Hari Shrestha, Uttam Rai
