Kolkata: Preparations are in full swing in the City of Joy ahead of the historic international football match between India and Brazil, which will be played at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, October 3, at 7:30 PM.
The Brazilian team is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Thursday evening, October 1. Several of Brazil’s star players, including Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and Endrick, are currently in Australia, where Brazil will play their second friendly match against Australia on Tuesday. Following the match, the squad will travel to Kolkata.
The five-time world champions will stay at the ITC Royal Bengal, located near the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in Kolkata. After their arrival on Thursday evening, the players are expected to rest and recover from the demanding schedule and the long journey.
Brazil are scheduled to train at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Friday, a day before the match. However, head coach Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to put the entire squad through an intense training session. With player freshness and recovery being a priority, the coaching staff may also involve reserve players in parts of the session while managing the workload of the key players.
Meanwhile, Kolkata is already gearing up for a football carnival as the city enters the festive season ahead of Durga Puja. The arrival of two major South American footballing nations has added to the excitement, with five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil set to face India on October 3, followed by Uruguay taking on India on October 6.
However, preparations at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan have also presented a few challenges for the Brazilian delegation.
One of the key concerns is the size of the press conference room at the stadium. The room is considered relatively small, and as a result, Ancelotti may hold the traditional pre-match press conference at the team hotel instead.
Another issue concerns the players’ dressing room. The existing dressing rooms at the stadium are considered small for a squad of Brazil’s size. To ensure that the world champions do not face any inconvenience, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is reportedly planning an alternative arrangement.
As part of the arrangements, the entire Brazil squad is expected to be provided with two dressing rooms at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan, allowing the team to use the facilities as required.
With the arrival of Brazil just days away, Kolkata is preparing for what promises to be a memorable footballing spectacle, with the city set to witness some of the biggest names in world football.
