East Bengal FC will look to revive their AFC Champions League Two 2026-27 campaign when they face Al-Seeb at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday, November 3.
The Kolkata giants are yet to register a victory in the competition and desperately need three points to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.
Head coach Antonio López Habas faces a crucial challenge as East Bengal enter the final three matches of their group-stage campaign, knowing that further dropped points could seriously damage their qualification prospects.
The reigning Indian Super League champions must overcome Al-Seeb before preparing for two difficult fixtures against Al-Hussein and Al-Shorta.
East Bengal will host Al-Hussein before travelling to face Al-Shorta in their final group match.
A victory against Al-Seeb would not only provide a much-needed confidence boost but also put the Torchbearers in a stronger position ahead of those challenging encounters.
East Bengal could finish the group stage with nine points if they defeat Al-Seeb and collect another four points from their remaining two fixtures. However, qualification would still depend on results elsewhere.
Speaking ahead of the important home encounter, Habas expressed satisfaction with his players’ fitness levels while highlighting the difficulties of preparing for matches during a demanding schedule.
“We are doing our best to prepare for this match. I like the condition of the squad and the players’ physicality. We have to train more.”
The experienced Spanish tactician explained that limited recovery time has prevented his coaching staff from conducting extensive training sessions.
“We don’t have the opportunity to train more. We only have two training sessions. One training session is for recovery, while the other is for tactical preparations. We also have one day to prepare for the next match. This has been our routine over the last month. We don’t have the opportunity to train more.”
Despite the demanding fixture schedule, Habas insisted that his team must adapt to the circumstances and remain focused on the upcoming challenge.
“We focus on recovery and preparing for the next match. We don’t have the opportunity to train more. This is the competition. The competition is here. There is no possible challenge,” he added.
East Bengal will need a disciplined defensive performance and greater attacking efficiency to overcome Al-Seeb.
With their continental ambitions hanging in the balance, Tuesday’s encounter represents a vital opportunity for Habas and his players to turn their campaign around.
