Durand Cup preview: Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan part of tough Group A with I-League champions Punjab FC

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 2 : The 132nd edition of the Durand Cup begins on August 3 and 24 teams will enter the fray with the dream of lifting the trophy on September 3. Group A at the 2023 Durand Cup consists of two Kolkata giants: East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant, along with Punjab FC and Bangladesh Army FT, a team from the armed forces in Bangladesh.
The Red and Gold Brigade and the Mariners are once again placed in the same group, just like last year. As always, the Kolkata Giants will be relying on their home support to navigate through this journey. The Kolkata derby holds even greater significance this time, as only four group winners and the two best second-placed teams will progress to the quarter-finals. Excitement and tension are bound to be high as they face off on August 12, as per a press release from the ISL. 
I-League champions, Punjab FC, who are all set to enter the Indian Super League (ISL) as the 12th team, will pose the biggest threat to the two Kolkata teams as they aim to make some waves and perhaps shock some people in the process.
Bangladesh Army FT, one of the two foreign teams participating in the 2023 Durand Cup, completes Group A. This is the first time in 27 years that this prestigious tournament will see foreign teams participating, and they will surely aim to spoil the party of the three ISL clubs.
Reigning ISL champions, Mohun Bagan Super Giant will be looking for a better show after their early exit from the previous Durand Cup, where they finished third in their group behind Mumbai City FC and Rajasthan United. However, the Mariners overcame that disappointment and went on to clinch the ISL title. They are keen to pick up where they left off last year, and with the further addition of star players, they are the prohibitive favourites to win the group.
Coach Juan Ferrando's exceptional game-reading ability will once again come into play for them as they set out to field a well-balanced roster in the Durand Cup, combining the spirit of young talents with the expertise of seasoned players.
East Bengal FC have undergone a major squad revamp from the last season and now have Carles Cuadrat at the helm. The Red and Gold Brigade have significantly strengthened their team, and the Durand Cup provides the perfect stage for the new manager to assess the impact of their new signings.
With the recent additions of Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Nishu Kumar, Mandar Rao Desai, Saul Crespo, Nandhakumar Sekar, Borja Herrera, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, and Javier Siverio, they appear to be a formidable force. Nevertheless, eyes will still be on that attacking trio of Nandha-Cleiton-Mahesh.
Backed by the passionate Red and Gold fans, East Bengal FC could definitely prove to be a dominant presence in Group A.
Punjab FC may not boast a roster full of heavy names as they enter the 2023 Durand Cup. However, they are still a formidable opponent and a hard nut to crack. Quietly, they have forged themselves into one of the most formidable squads, showcased by their triumphant I-League title win last season.
Now, as they prepare to join the ISL as the 12th team, they are determined to prove that their success was no fluke. Spearheaded by the attacking prowess of Luka Majcen and Juan Mera, Punjab FC poses the most significant challenge to the heavyweights in this group.
Group fixtures: 
-Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Bangladesh Army FT (August 3)

-East Bengal FC vs Bangladesh Army FT (August 6)

-Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Punjab FC (August 7)
-Punjab FC vs Bangladesh Army FT (August 10)
-Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs East Bengal FC (August 12)
-East Bengal FC vs Punjab FC (August 16).