Kerala Blasters’ Pritam Kotal, Vibin Mohanan, and assistant coach Frank Dauwen look longingly on the ISL Trophy in Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru on Wednesday. The Blasters have been runner-up thrice.| Photo Credit: PTI

Six months after their controversial walkout within the playoffs, Kerala Blasters meets Bengaluru FC once more within the Indian Super League, this time within the season-opener on the Nehru Stadium right here on Thursday.

Blasters, who suffered a heavy high quality whereas the pinnacle coach Ivan Vukomanovic took a 10-match suspension which isn't but over, have pushed away all of the bitterness from their thoughts.

“I think what happened last year is over, now we are into the new season and new chances,” mentioned Frank Dauwen, the Blasters’ assistant coach, right here on Wednesday.

Life has not been excellent for Blasters in the previous few months. The group misplaced to Gokulam Kerala within the Durand Cup the place it didn't make the quarterfinals and is now with out its gifted Sahal Abdul Samad and goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill who've joined different golf equipment. The group’s ahead Ishan Pandita can be on the injured listing.

How is the Blasters group when in comparison with final 12 months? “Difficult to say because we have a lot of new young players, our foreign players are also new so we have to see. But the team is prepared,” mentioned Dauwen.

A packed home is predicted right here on Thursday and the Blasters will hope to realize new vitality from that.

Meanwhile, final 12 months’s runner-up Bengaluru which has misplaced just a few gamers, together with the seasoned Sunil Chhetri, to the Indian group now enjoying the Asiad in in China, is wanting on the positives from the state of affairs.

“We fully respect Sunil’s decision to play for the national team. Tomorrow is an opportunity for whoever starts, to do well,” mentioned Simon Grayson, the Bengaluru head coach.