East Bengal have been very poor in the 2015 AFC Cup, where they have not registered a single victory in the competition after suffering two losses and one draw.
The Indian club are virtually out of the competition and might not even make it out from the group stages, as they prepare to face Balestier Khalsa FC at Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake stadium), Kolkata, hence East Bengal might not field their best possible line-up as well.
"We have only one point from three games. I don't think we will be able to qualify... Now I have the chance to see the players who are on the bench," PTI quoted East Bengal coach Schattorie as saying.
"For tomorrow (Tuesday), I will rest all my first team players and play with the guys who have not yet had a chance. I will try and motivate them that this is their chance to show me what they have got."
Providing rest to some players does not mean that the team are giving it away even before the first whistle.
The reserve players would be eager to come up with a brilliant performance and help the team gain three points. It also provides these players to put forward a claim for a place in the starting line-up in India's domestic league.
"Our target will be to win. We have a small chance to advance to the next round but the reserve players can shine now. It's a perfect moment to motivate them and get all three points," added Schattorie.
Schattorie's side lie on last place in Group F standings table, while their opponent Khalsa FC are third in the table and they still have an outside chance of making it to the knock-out stages of the competition, if they manage to come up with some good performances in the remainder of the round-robin fixtures.
The Kolkata-based club would have a tough time against Balestier Khalsa FC, who primarily wants to win and stay alive in the competition.
"We have a full squad available. Three foreigners have travelled with the team -- two Croatians and one Serbian. We have not done the calculations and will focus on attacking and getting a win. We have still hopes of progressing. This is why, we need three points and not much choice left," Khalsa's coach Kraljevic said.
Where to Watch Live
The game is scheduled for 8:30pm ET (6pm IST, 12:30pm GMT) start with live TV coverage in India on Star Sports 4.
Viewers in Singapore and Indonesia can watch it live on Fox Sports 2 Cambodia.
