Super Cup 2025 semifinal is just a night away. In Goa, East Bengal is set to face Panagiotis Dilmpers’ strong Punjab FC. Notably, last month Punjab secured their semifinal spot by defeating the mighty Bengaluru FC in their final group-stage match. In the tie-breaker, this ISL side got the better of Sunil Chhetri’s team. So Oscar Bruzón knew well in advance that this clash would be anything but easy. That is why, right after a short break, the East Bengal coach resumed training in full swing.
Initially, Bino George supervised the training sessions, but soon after arriving in the city, the Spanish coach took full charge. After weeks of preparation in Kolkata, the Red and Gold brigade finally arrived in Goa. However, in the midst of all this, one of the team’s most reliable defenders, Joy Gupta, suffered an injury. This undoubtedly sparked concern within the camp. As a result, over the past few days, the Indian defender has mainly been working on his fitness from the sidelines. If he is unavailable for the upcoming semifinal, it could significantly impact the team’s performance.
There is no need to state that again. Still, the management’s top priority was to get him fully fit before the match. According to the latest update, during the final training session on the eve of the semifinal, the national team defender was seen practicing with the main squad in high spirits. This clearly indicates that he is much fitter than before. However, whether Oscar will include him in the starting XI remains the big question, and everyone’s attention will be on that decision.
On the other hand, Dilmpers’ Punjab FC is determined to beat East Bengal and secure their place in the final. After completing preparations in their home city, the opposition camp arrived in Goa a few days ago. The Greek coach has prepared the team keeping East Bengal’s strengths and weaknesses in mind.