The 15th I-League season will kick off on December 26, 2021. Due to the hazards posed by the COVID-19 epidemic in India, the league will be held in a protective bio-bubble in Kolkata.
Several new teams will compete for league championships in the following season. Sreenidhi Deccan will make their I-League debut in 2021-22. After impressing in the I-League Qualifiers, Rajasthan United and Kenkre FC will also compete. The well-established teams will undoubtedly put the newbies to the test.
Overall, the I-League remains a highly unpredictable league. The competition will be tough, with the margins between the teams being razor-thin. On the other hand, there are a few teams that are superior to the rest, at least on paper. These teams have made notable additions to their rosters and have squads capable of winning the competition.
While supporters await the commencement of the I-League 2021-22 season, these are the top three candidates for the championship:
RoundGlass Punjab FC
Last season, RoundGlass Punjab had a strong showing. After the first phase, the team finished second in the league standings and advanced to the Championship stage. They eventually came in the fourth position with 22 points. The group is hoping to improve on their performance from the previous season.
Ashley Westwood, an experienced coach, has been hired to lead the team into the next season. Kean Lewis, Robin Singh, Shankar Sampingiraj, Kurtis Guthrie, and Travis Major are among the team’s most impressive newcomers. RoundGlass Punjab will undoubtedly be among the title contenders if they can improve on their success from the previous season.
Rajasthan United FC
After winning the I-League Qualifiers earlier in October, Rajasthan United will compete in the I-League. The team was once known as JECRC FC (Jaipur Engineering College and Research Centre FC) until being renamed Rajasthan United in 2018. Francesc Bonet, a former Barcelona youth coach, will be the team’s head coach for the 2021-22 season. He is only 28 years old and holds a UEFA Pro License, indicating his trustworthiness.
Rajasthan United is on a roll, and the winning mix will continue into the I-League 2021-22 season. Rajasthan United also has some excellent international additions, including Marcelinho, a former Odisha FC, Hyderabad FC, and ATK Mohun Bagan player, Fabiano Alves, a former Corinthians player, and former I-League winner Komron Tursunov.
Mohammedan SC
Mohammedan SC is the overwhelming favorite to win the I-League in 2021-22. The Kolkata-based team made an impression in the Durand Cup 2021, narrowly losing in the final against ISL side FC Goa.
In the Durand Cup, the Black Panthers defeated Gokulam Kerala in the quarterfinals and Bengaluru United in the semi-finals, respectively. In the final, the Gaurs needed an extra-time goal to beat their opponents.
After reaching the Championship stage last year, the team finished sixth. It’ll be fascinating to see how Andrey Chernyshov maneuvers his way through the competition and mounts a campaign for the I-League.
Read: Hero I-League 2021-22: AIFF partner with 1-Sports to Telecast the Qualifiers of the I-league live
