East Bengal, Mohun Bagan to meet AIFF chief Patel

Kolkata May 3 (IANS) City football giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan will meet All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss with him certain issues they have with the apex body sources in the governing body said.

The meeting will be held at 12 noon on May 6 a source close to the development told IANS.

Representatives of both clubs were set to meet the AIFF supremo to present their case which includes waiving of the franchise fee which the commercial and marketing partners of AIFF Football Sports Development Ltd (FSDL) have asked them to pay.

The clubs also want to play their home matches in Kolkata in the proposed new league where besides the eight Indian Super League franchises three I-League clubs -- East Bengal Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC -- are set to participate.

Late last month both clubs met AIFF senior-vice President Subrata Dutta who is also President of the Indian Football Association (IFA) -- the governing body of the sport in the state -- to deliberate their case and take the matter forward with AIFF and later FSDL.

Mohun Bagan finished second in the just-concluded I-League while East Bengal finished third.

--IANS
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