ISL 2023-24: Punjab FC hope to resume season with win against Bengaluru FC at home

New Delhi: Punjab Football Club (PFC) will hope to resume the season with a win as they host former champions Bengaluru FC in Round 13 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season which will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday.

The match will have an early kick-off and the Shers will look to put in a similar performance against The Blues in the reverse fixture as both teams had played out an exciting 3-3 draw back in November.

Punjab FC had lost to Odisha FC to a solitary goal before the international break at home while Bengaluru FC played out a 1-1 draw against NorthEast United at Bengaluru. Both sides were eliminated in the group stages in the recently concluded Kalinga Super Cup.

Speaking ahead of the game, PFC head coach Staikos Vergetis said, “The break has allowed us to observe many things and test many things in the Kalinga Super Cup and the experience will help the players perform well in the upcoming matches. In the previous match against Bengaluru, we had specific moments in the match which led to individual mistakes that cost us the match. "We have worked out our plan for the match tomorrow against a big opponent and hope to get a positive result out of the match,” he said.

The home side will be bolstered by their new signings while Bengaluru FC will have the services of the national side players including Captain Sunil Chhetri and also the January incomings.

PFC forward Wilmar Jordan Gil during the pre–match press conference said, “After missing a good part of the first round, I am in good condition to offer the team what I was signed for. There is no extra pressure of being a foreigner on the side, as we use that experience to help each other in the team and get positive results for the team. The last match against Bengaluru will give us the confidence to play good football and come away with the three points.”

Punjab FC are 11th on the table with eight points from 12 matches while Bengaluru FC are ninth on the table with 11 points from 12 matches.