Should Khalid Jamil's side do the impossible all over again it will truly be a season to savour for Indian football fans.
With the I-League over it’s time for the annual Federation Cup that begins at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on May 7.
The new heroes in town, Aizawl FC that is still celebrating their historic I-League title secured on April 30, will be hoping to make it a domestic double.
Should Khalid Jamil’s side do the impossible all over again it will truly be a season to savour for Indian football fans.
Mohun Bagan, the holders, who had kept the I-League title race alive until the last kick of the ball, had crushed Aizawl 5-0 in last year’s Federation Cup with striker Jeje scoring a brace in Guwahati.
Eight teams will be in the fray, with Minerva Punjab and Mumbai, the bottom two in the ten-team I-League table missing out the Cup tie.
The All India Football Federation reverted back, to the old format in which a single venue hosts all the matches, from last year's home and away knockout system.
Aizawl are in Group-A that also comprises East Bengal, Churchill Brothers and Chennai City.
Group B has defending champions Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC, DSK Shivajians and Shillong Lajong.
The group stages are planned between May 7 and 12 with at least two matches to be played daily.
The semifinals are scheduled for May 14 the final could be postponed depending on the result of the AFC Cup fifth round tie between Bengaluru and Mohun Bagan.
The AFC Cup tie is scheduled to be played at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata on May 17.
If either of the teams make it to the final then the Federation Cup title decider could be postponed three days to May 21.
