It all comes down to one crucial match that decides the fate of teams for years to come. The grand finale is the biggest game for any sports and the euphoria ahead of the key fixture between Kerala Blasters and Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) has reached its peak. All roads lead to the JLN Stadium in Kochi on Sunday.
This is going to be the eighth meeting between the football team from Kerala, co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar and the team from Kolkata, co-owned by Sourav Ganguly.
Inaugural champions ATK do have the edge over the Yellow Army, going by their head-to-head record, but having said that, with the phenomenal home crowd that Kerala Blasters have witnessed over the years, the home team do have a massive advantage.
A home team winning a tournament as big in Indian football as the Indian Super League has never happened before. Of course, Bengaluru FC did it this year itself when they won the I-League title for the second time in three years at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in April, after defeating Salgaocar FC.
Talking of Bengaluru FC, it also remains to be seen if Atletico de Kolkata can emulate the I-League side and clinch their second Indian Super League title in three years.
I think ATK is doing a great job and the management is working to achieve a common goal and everybody is working in the same direction and people from all positions in the club are doing their best and we are trying to do something good and it is working well and we now have three semi-finals in three years and two finals, and now we will try to achieve a second title in three years.
- ATK head coach Jose Molina (as told to the ISL website).
We are grateful and happy to be in the final and we have got to do all the protocols to recover and get set for the final and the team was in the final in the first year and [left] an unfinished business and we hope we can put a good show against Kolkata, the only team to make nine changes over the two legs of the semis.
- Kerala Blasters coach Steve Coppell (as told to the ISL website).
ISL 2016 final schedule
Date: December 18, 2016.
Time: 7 pm IST.
Venue: JLN Stadium Kochi.
TV guide: Star Sports Network (India).
