Arindam Basu
Imagine Eric Abidal vying for a ball with Sisir Ghosh or Gianluca Zambrotta trying to stop a Jose Ramirez Barreto.
Fabilish! But true. This fairy tale match might well unfold at the Mecca of Indian Football--Kolkata, situated on the banks of River Hooghly. If the plot unfolds as directed then September 28 could well be the date when the Legends team of FC Barcelona clash with the Mariners (read Mohun Bagan) Legends setting the city on fire and uncorking a nostalgia of the most special kind.
The match, titled 'Clash of the Legends', will feature a host of famous names from both the iconic clubs. For the Spanish side, Patrick Kluivert, Eric Abidal, Gianluca Zambrotta, Frank de Boer and Edgard Davids are some of the stalwarts who are expected to turn up. While former forward and captain Jose Ramirez Barreto will headline the home side along with the likes of Sisir Ghosh. If rumour mills become true then former Indian football skipper and FC Bury footballer Baichung Bhutia might also be seen trying the laces yet again.
“The histories of both the clubs date back to more than a century. FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and our club was founded in 1889. Hence, we match each other in the legacy. It will be our honour to face a club that is rated among the topmost clubs in the world," said Anjan Mitra, Secretary, Mohun Bagan.
"We might not match them in terms of the heavyweight world cuppers and footballers they have, but we are no less in terms of the rich football history we have. We thank the Sports Department, Government of West Bengal for their support in this venture,” he added.
In the past, Bayern Munich, Santos, and Cosmos have played friendly in Kolkata. The city also hosted a friendly between Argentina and Venezuela. While Argentina had Messi in the ranks, Venezuela had Juan Arango.
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