Mohun Bagan was in formidable form when they won the I-League title in 2019-20 with Kibu Vicuna at the helm. The squad was a perfect blend of youth and experience as veteran campaigners like Fran Gonzalez, Joseba Beitia and youngsters like Subho Ghosh stepped up their game when it mattered the most.
They won the league with four matches to spare and with a 16-point lead at the top. They were on a 13-match unbeaten run on their way to clinch the championship with 39 points from 16 matches. However, they had a rocky start to the league campaign as they drew against Aizawl and fell to Churchill Brothers 4-2 at the Kalyani Stadium. However, Vicuna's men soon found their feet in the competition and started to play some delightful football. They even romped to a 2-1 victory against East Bengal in the Kolkata derby in what was the start of the Mariners' seven-game winning streak.
Here we take a look at the league-winning squad members and their current whereabouts.
The current SC East Bengal goalkeeper was the first choice shot-stopper for Kibu Vicuna in that season. However, when the league started he was a bench-warmer with Debjit Majumder ahead of him in the pecking order. But schoolboy errors from Majumder against Churchill Brothers in the 4-2 defeat opened the door for Roy to be under the sticks. He made 14 appearances in that season and kept seven clean sheets.
Paul did not make a single appearance in that edition of I-League. However, he happens to be one of the most acclaimed goalkeepers of Mohun Bagan and was a skipper as well. He currently plies his trade for Churchill Brothers.
The goalkeeper had a forgetful I-League season as he made silly errors in the second match of the campaign against Churchill Brothers and was dropped to the bench thereafter. He is currently the second-choice goalkeeper of Chennaiyin FC.
The Spanish centre back was a rock at the back. He made 15 appearances in I-League and also scored a goal against NEROCA FC. He currently plays in the third tier of Spain in Real Balompedica Linense.
The Trinidadian showed a rich vein of form for Mohun Bagan at the heart of defence. He formed a solid partnership with Morante at the back which helped the Mariners keep things tight. In fact, they had the meanest defence, conceding just 13 goals in 16 matches. Cyrus made 11 appearances, scoring once and providing two assists. He is currently playing in Chainat FC in Thai League 2.
The left-back was one of the first names on the team sheet under Vicuna after he replaced Dhanachandra Singh. He played close to 600 minutes in that campaign and even led the team on several occasions. He is currently contracted to NorthEast United.
The right-back was an integral part of Kibu Vicuna's plans in that season. He played 14 matches during the campaign and provided one assist. He now plays for ATK Mohun Bagan.
At the back of a successful season with East Bengal, Lalramchullova joined Mohun Bagan at the beginning of the 2019-20 season. However, he made sporadic appearances under Vicuna. He currently plays for Mohammedan SC.
The left-back was awarded the armband by Vicuna at the beginning of the season. He made 10 appearances and played a vital role in defence. After leaving Mohun Bagan he did not join any professional outfit.
The Spanish midfielder was one of the first names on the team sheet. He was absolutely brilliant at the centre of the park and controlled the game with his composure. Beitia had three goals and nine assists in that season. He is currently playing for RoundGlass Punjab.
The winger joined Mohun Bagan on loan from FC Goa. He made seven appearances and scored once in that season. He currently plays for FC Goa in the ISL (Indian Super League).
Nongdamba Naorem played brilliantly in the leftwing for Mohun Bagan. He scored twice and assisted five times. He currently plays for FC Goa in the ISL.
The defensive midfielder was a revelation in that season. He carried out his responsibilities to perfection and grew in stature as the season progressed. He currently plays for ATK Mohun Bagan.
The right-winger put in some impressive performances after coming off the bench under Kibu Vicuna. He had one assist in that season which came against Real Kashmir away from home. He currently plays for the Indian Navy.
The winger was hardly used by the Spanish tactician. He made four appearances and had 60 minutes under his belt. He currently plays for Mohammedan SC.
The Spanish midfielder was one of instrumental figures on the pitch. He was even used as a centre back when Daniel Cyrus was injured for a brief spell. Despite not playing as a forward, he scored 10 goals and assisted once. He currently plays for Real Kashmir FC.
The Tajik forward signed midway in the season. He took little time to settle down and scored his first goal in his debut against NEROCA FC. He made eight appearances in the season and scored two goals while assisting on two other occasions. He currently plays for FK Khujand in his home country.
Suhair VP was a key member of the I-League winning squad. He was primarily used as a right winger by Vicuna and his partnership with full-back Ashutosh Mehta flourished during that season. He played over 1200 minutes in the league campaign, scoring and assisting twice. He currently plies his trade with NorthEast United FC in the ISL.
The Senegalese forward was signed as a replacement of Julen Colinas who got injured after the first few matches. Diawara became a fan favourite after he scored against East Bengal in the Kolkata Derby. He went on to score in nine consecutive matches and became a key player with his performances in attack.
The young forward was the super-sub for Vicuna. He used to be introduced late and with his movements inside the box, he troubled the centre-backs. His goal against Minerva Punjab in the dying minutes of the match helped Mohun Bagan avoid defeat, which turned him to be a blue-eyed boy of the fans. He now plays for crosstown rivals SC East Bengal.
Shilton D'Silva, Kiyan Nassiri, Lalramzauva Khiangte, and Bikramjeet Singh were hardly used by Vicuna during the campaign. While D'Silva's last club was Mohammedan SC, Nassiri is currently with ATK Mohun Bagan. Meanwhile, Singh is in a contract with RoundGlass Punjab.
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