East Bengal approach Delhi HC over Anwar's suspension

India defender Anwar Ali, his current side East Bengal, and parent club Delhi FC on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court and sought a stay on the suspension imposed on the player by the All India Football Federation for "illegally terminating" his four-year contract with Mohun Bagan.

The AIFF on Tuesday slapped a four-month suspension on Anwar after finding the defender "guilty" and asked him and the two clubs to pay a huge compensation of Rs 12.90 crore to Mohun Bagan.

"Yes, we have filed a writ petition with the Delhi High Court and the it has been listed for tomorrow. It is item number eight. All three parties have filed the petition on various grounds," Delhi FC owner Ranjit Bajaj told PTI.

"How can we let the player lose out on matches in the coming days. You can get money back but you can't get the matches back once they are played, you can't get the time back," he added.

East Bengal's top official Debabrata Sarkar said that they have approached the Delhi HC as they don't want the player to lose out on matches in the Indian Super League, starting Friday, until the AIFF's Appeals Committee arrives at a decision on the matter.

"We have gone to the Appeals Committee, till the time the Appeals Committee decides we want Anwar to play, he should not be deprived of game time till that time. The player's career should not be affected at all cost. That is our argument, nothing else. Let's see what happens later," Sarkar said.

Earlier, the AIFF's players status committee also ruled that the Anwar's parent club Delhi FC and East Bengal, with whom the defender had entered into a lucrative five-year deal, have been banned from registering players for two transfer windows -- 2024-25 winter and 2025-26 summer.

The players status committee had stated that Anwar, East Bengal and Delhi FC are all jointly "liable" for the compensation amount which includes Rs 8.40 crore for the residual value of the contract, Rs 2 crore already paid to Delhi FC under loan agreement, and Rs 2.50 crore for other "damages suffered by the club."

The transfer of the India defender to East Bengal had sparked a huge controversy in Kolkata.

The 23-year-old had played a key role in Mohun Bagan's ISL Shield-winning campaign last season, scoring three goals and one assist in 26 games.

Mohun Bagan challenged the player's move to East Bengal by filing a complaint with the AIFF's player status committee.

Anwar Ali important player, club strategising for his return: East Bengal coach Cuadrat

East Bengal head coach Carles Cuadrat on Thursday confirmed that Anwar Ali would not be available for their ISL opener against Bengaluru FC and said he's an "important player" and the club is actively exploring all possible avenues for his return.

A key figure for both India and East Bengal defence, Anwar was handed a four-month suspension by the AIFF's Players' Status Committee for wrongful contract termination with Mohun Bagan.

The red-and-gold brigade has now taken the case to the Appeals Committee, hoping for a stay order that would allow Anwar to feature in the upcoming matches.

"We know he is going to be an important player for the club, but we understand the situation that is not in our hands," Cuadrat said in a media interaction before leaving for Bengaluru.

"I have spoken to the player, and he's going to be very important for us. We have to understand that he's not going to play tomorrow, so we have to plan with the rest of the players. He's training very well."

East Bengal face former champions BFC at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Begnaluru on Saturday.

In addition to Anwar's ban, East Bengal, Delhi FC (his parent club), and the player himself have been ordered to pay a record compensation of Rs 12.9 crore to Mohun Bagan.

Both clubs also face sporting sanctions, including a ban on registering new players for two consecutive transfer windows, dealing a significant blow to their team-building efforts.

"It's not in my hands. What's in my hands is to try and be competitive. The club is making a strategy, and everything is working as expected. But we don't look for excuses. We try to be competitive," he added.

East Bengal top official Debabrata Sarkar has said they have approached their lawyers who have "put our case to the Appeals Committee".

TOP-SIX, FIRST TARGET

Since their 2020-21 debut, East Bengal have struggled in the ISL, never finishing higher than ninth in the league.

However, Cuadrat believes the team now has the stability and a foundation to build a squad for the future.

"Finally, the club has retained the same coach for a new season, which means we are bringing stability to the club. This has happened for the first time since Trevor Morgan (2015-16).

"We are building a squad for the future. I feel very optimistic. It's a team for the future, and we've players on 2-3 year contracts. This is our challenge: to bring stability to the team."

"We are going in the right direction. We've never been in the playoffs, in the top six. But we have the players for that. When you are in the top six, you are four games away from winning," Cuadrat said.

Bengaluru FC finished 10th in the standings last season, the lowest ever for the team that won the ISL Cup in its second appearance in 2018-19.

They have appointed Gerard Zaragoza midway through the last season and the team lost to Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup semifinal.

They have retained only two foreign players, Aleksandar Jovanovic and Ryan Williams while bringing in four new internationals: ISL Cup-winning duo Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Alberto Noguera, alongside Pedro Capo and Edgar Mendez.

Rahul Bheke, who captained Mumbai City FC to ISL Cup glory, has also rejoined Bengaluru FC for a second spell.

"They have great players and made good efforts in the transfer window. It's a club that's working well, and they will be competitive. They are a formidable side. We want to start well, and it's important to get three points," the East Bengal coach added.