ISL is Finally Here, but do the Teams have Enough Time to Prepare?

The much-awaited Indian Super League is finally here to soothe the football blues in India. The decision to conduct the tournament was announced in mid-late October as the organizers aim for a November 20 start. While that may be good news for football fans, the teams and other participants find themselves battling a logistical nightmare.

Not a Proper Pre-Season

Obviously, the Covid-19 pandemic has massively disrupted daily life. To keep the show going, teams and competitions worldwide have had to adapt to new rules and protocols. From following strict player and team bubbles to frequent testing and playing in empty stadiums, a lot has changed for teams, and more importantly, they are expected to adhere to them.

Now, let us imagine the same scenario for the Indian Super League - a competition that was announced a month before the official start date. The matches will take place in Goa across 3 stadiums in light of the pandemic; each of the 11 teams will have to share these venues as their home turfs.

All of this is above and beyond the internal logistics that need to be sorted among the teams. We are talking about establishing player bubbles and quarantine protocols, finding and securing team hotels - this takes precedent as the teams will be living at the same place for a good five months, establishing training routines, among other things.

A Crammed Schedule?

Traditionally, the ISL has followed the double round-robin format where each team plays the other side twice before making it to the semifinals and the final. This year too, with 11 sides in, the teams will be playing 20 games in total through November to March.

Ordinarily, with travelling and everything, players would get through this without a lot of problems. But given that they are restricted to merely three stadiums in Goa and not allowed to travel elsewhere, things will be different this time around.

Mental endurance will play an important role, just as much as physical form. Players will go through psychological toll and burnout; the team management will need to address this promptly.

It is, for this reason, we expect that the Indian Super League betting this season will be significantly different from its yesteryear counterparts. The odds may be much more competitive, in some cases, the odds offered on particular markets may not even seem worth it. In other words, expect the unexpected when it comes to football betting in the ISL.

But for the punters and veterans, it should be a matter of time before they figure out common markets to target throughout the league. The playing conditions will remain the same throughout which should add some sense of predictability.

But the League can Deliver

All things considered, the ISL this season promises to be a big hit. Atletico de Kolkata have merged with the Indian legends Mohun Bagan to give rise to a formidable team in the league - ATK Mohun Bagan. Bagan’s staunch rivals SC Ease Bengal have also joined the fray this season as league debutants.

This, in conjunction with the existing sides of Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin, Goa, and others, do hold a great deal of potential in terms of entertainment and quality matches. There is plenty of local talent to follow, plenty of betting opportunities to capitalise on.