East Bengal got their third win of the ISL 2023-24 season against Hyderabad on Saturday. They jumped back up to 8th place in the Indian Super League table. Now coach Carles Cuadrat is aiming to end up in the top six to qualify for the playoffs.

After the win, the coach said, “Now every match is important. Those who seem to have almost reached the playoffs have won seven or eight matches. Many teams like us have won three matches each.”

He added, “So now the race has started between six teams. According to me, the next matches are going to be very tough.” However, if they want to move up the ladder, they need to win on a regular basis.

The current top five teams in the league table are Odisha FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, and Kerala Blasters. Odisha and Mohun Bagan have 9 wins in their bags while Goa, Mumbai, and Kerala have 8 wins to their names.

They have more or less solidified their places in the play-offs. Hence, East Bengal are in the run to end up in that one last spot in the top six. They are only two points behind 6th-placed Jamshedpur FC who have played two more games than them.

As a result, East Bengal's next match will be one of the most important for them as they take on Jamshedpur FC on the road on February 22. They will also have seven more games to fight their way into the top six.

However, the road will be tough for the Red and Gold Brigade with them sustaining one injury after another in most matches. Defender Jose Antonio Pardo sustained a serious injury that was set to keep him away for the rest of the season and parted ways.

Harmanjot Khabra is not fit enough to play 90 minutes. They have also had to take to the field with multiple suspensions at times. However, East Bengal have an impeccable defensive record this season. If they managed to drive up their offensive approach, they could achieve the target.