Over the past few years in the Indian Super League, when Mumbai and Chennai collided, it was usually Ranbir Kapoor's team who were below the MS Dhoni- and Abhishek Bachchan-co-owned Chennaiyin FC in the points table. The trend has changed in ISL 2016.
Mumbai City FC take on Chennaiyin in their return leg fixture of the Indian Super League third season on Wednesday at the Mumbai Football Arena. The home side are atop the ISL 2016 points table at the moment, while the South Indian football side remain seventh with three more league games to go.
If the results don't turn out well for Marco Materazzi's side, this could very well be the first time that Chennaiyin don't make the semifinals of the Indian Super League. Mumbai City FC, meanwhile, are on the verge of their maiden appearance in the last four of the ISL.
One of the biggest marquee players among the eight teams in ISL 2016, Diego Forlan, remained exceptional for Mumbai City FC in their previous game, as they demolished Kerala Blasters. If the Uruguayan continues the same momentum against Chennaiyin as well, with a league game on hand, Mumbai make it to the ISL 2016 semifinals straightaway.
At this juncture, Materazzi, who knows that a win can get Chennaiyin FC back to the top four yet again, banks on hope and positivity. Alexandre Guimaraes, meanwhile, urges Mumbai City FC not to get complacent.
Guimaraes: "We are on the way. We know that the first goal of any organisation is to understand the players. From the beginning, we have been talking to the players about things and it's good to have so many points with two games still remaining [in the league stage].
"First thing that comes to my mind is that we have to play better than we have played so far to try to win the game and put ourselves in a good position."
Materazzi: "I am pretty confident that we can still qualify for the semis as no team has qualified till now and it is still an open race. Since football is no science or maths, I hope we can try and collect as many points as we can and you know once you qualify for the semis, then everything starts again."
Head to head record
Channaiyin FC 4-0 Mumbai City FC (one match drawn)
Schedule
Mumbai City FC vs Chennaiyin FC is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm IST (2.30 pm BST) on November 23.
Where to watch live
India: TV - Star Sports 1/HD1, Star Sports 2/HD2, Star Sports 3/HD3
Star Gold, Star Utsav (Hindi)
Jalsha Movies (Bengali)
Asianet Movies (Malayalam)
Asianet Suvarna Plus (Kannada)
Live streaming - Hotstar.
Europe: TV - Star Gold
Australia, USA: TV - Fox Sports
Canada: TV - CBN, ATN Bangla
Bangladesh: TV - Channel 9
South-East Asia: TV - Eurosport
Live score - Twitter
