The 2020–21 season was Bengaluru FC's eighth season as a club since its establishment in 2013.
Background
Transfers During the course of 2019–20 season, Bengaluru FC extended contracts of Juanan, Thongkhosiem Haokip and Edmund Lalrindika. At the end of the season, Bengaluru FC extended contracts of Udanta Singh, Erik Paartalu, Dimas Delgado, Ajay Chhetri, Leon Augustine, Roshan Singh and Namgyal Bhutia.
On 3 June Bengaluru FC announced signing of defender Pratik Chaudhari and club's former goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte. Both the players signed with the club for two seasons. On 5 June Bengaluru FC announced signing of defenders Joe Zoherliana and Wungngayam Muirang on two year deal. On 20 June Bengaluru FC announced signing of Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva on one year deal. In August 2020, Bengaluru signed left back Ajith Kumar from Chennai City F.C. on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. On 18 September Bengaluru FC signed midfielder Huidrom Thoi Singh from Reliance Foundation Young Champs. On 3 October Bengaluru FC announced signing of goalkeeper Lara Sharma for three years. On 20 October Bengaluru FC announced signing of Spanish defender Fran González and Norwegian striker Kristian Opseth on season long deals.
Jamaican striker Kevaughn Frater signed for Israeli club Maccabi Netanya. Defender Nishu Kumar and goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill signed for Kerala Blasters. On 13 September 2020, Spanish striker Manuel Onwu completed the move to Odisha FC after being on the loan the previous season. Defender Gursimrat Singh Gill signed for Bengaluru United Brazilian midfielder Raphael Augusto's contract with the club was terminated on mutual agreement, owing to personal reasons. Bengaluru FC did not renew the contract of Spanish defender Albert Serrán Defender Sairuat Kima joined Sudeva FC. Midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh and defender Rino Anto joined East Bengal.
In the winter transfer window, Ajay Chhetri was loaned out to SC East Bengal till the end of the season.
In No.PositionPlayerPrevious clubTransfer feeDateRef 4 Pratik Chaudhari Mumbai CityFree agent 3 June 2020 28 Lalthuammawia Ralte East BengalFree agent 3 June 2020 24 Joe Zoherliana AizawlFree agent 5 June 2020 15 Wungngayam Muirang Gokulam KeralaFree agent 5 June 2020 23 Cleiton Silva SuphanburiFree agent 20 June 202019 Ajith KumarChennai City Undisclosed 22 August 202036 Huidrom Thoi SinghReliance Foundation Young Champs Free agent 18 September 2020 30 Lara Sharma ATKFree agent 3 October 202055 Fran González Mohun BaganFree agent 20 October 2020 9 Kristian Opseth Adelaide UnitedFree agent 20 October 2020 Xisco Hernández OdishaFree agent 15 January 2021 Yrondu Musavu-King Le MansFree agent 10 March 2021
Out No.PositionPlayerOutgoing clubDateFeeRef3 Albert Serrán Montañesa 1 June 2020 Free agent4 Sairuat KimaSudeva 1 June 2020 Free agent13 Rino Anto East Bengal 1 June 2020 Free agent7 Eugeneson LyngdohEast Bengal 1 June 2020 Free agent29 Nili Levadiakos 9 June 2020 Free agent22 Nishu KumarKerala Blasters 22 July 2020 Free agent17 Kevaughn Frater Maccabi Netanya 1 August 2020 Free agent31 Prabhsukhan Singh GillKerala Blasters 9 September 2020 Free agent9 Manuel OnwuOdisha 13 September 2020 Free agent 33 Gursimrat Singh GillBengaluru United 17 September 2020 Free agent8 Kean LewisSudeva9 October 2020 Free agent12 Raphael Augusto Abahani Limited Dhaka 17 October 2020 Free agent26 Deshorn Brown NorthEast United 15 January 2021 Released
Out on loan No.PositionPlayerOutgoing clubDateFeeRef13 Ajay Chhetri East Bengal 15 January 2021 Unknown
Pre-season and friendlies Bengaluru FC started pre-season with a friendly against Hyderabad FC on 7 November 2020 at Dempo SC ground, in Goa. Bengaluru drew the game 1–1 with Wungngayam Muirang scoring the opening goal in first half. Aridane Santana scored from spot to equalise for Hyderabad in second half.
Mid-season friendlies
Competitions Overview
Indian Super League
League table
Results by matchday
Matches
AFC Cup
ATK, who finished runners-up in the league phase of the 2019–20 Indian Super League, merged with 2019–20 I-League champions Mohun Bagan and qualified automatically to the AFC Cup group stage. Third-placed team in 2019–20 Indian Super League season, Bengaluru FC qualified for 2021 AFC Cup qualifiers. This will be Bengaluru's sixth appearance in the tournament.
Qualifying play-offs
Preliminary round 2
Play-off round Due to the lockdown and travel restrictions in Bangladesh, the AFC Sub-Committee decided that Abahani Limited Dhaka are considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Cup 2021 and awarded the Playoff Stage slot to Eagles FC. Playoff Stage match supposed to be hosted by Bengaluru FC, moved to Maldives, which is hosting Group D matches, where the winner of Playoff will be placed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Play-off round between Bengaluru FC and Eagles FC scheduled for May 2021 postponed to 15 August 2021.
Coaching staff Management
After poor outings during the ongoing season, on 6 January 2021, it was announced that Carles Cuadrat and Bengaluru FC decided to mutually part ways. Naushad Moosa, the assistant coach and the head coach of Bengaluru FC B, was appointed as a caretaker coach. Soon after the departure of Carles, the fitness coach Mikel Guillen too parted ways with the club.
As of 26 February 2021 PositionName Head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli Assistant Coach Javier Pinillos Assistant Coach/Reserve team Head Coach Naushad Moosa Goalkeeping Coach Julen Esnaola Physiotherapist Senen Alvarez Team Manager Rosewall Da Cunha Video Analyst Alwin Lawrence Masseur Manu Prasad Kit Boy Gireesh PM
Player statistics Appearances and goals
! colspan=12 style=background:#2545A0;color:white; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=12 style=background:#2545A0;color:white; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=12 style=background:#2545A0;color:white; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=12 style=background:#2545A0;color:white; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=12 style=background:#2545A0;color:white; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Updated: 14 April 2021
Goal scorers PlayerISLAFCTotal1 11 FW Sunil Chhetri 8 19 23 FW Cleiton Silva 7 293 2 DF Rahul Bheke 1 234 5 DF Juanan 2 02 6 MF Erik Paartalu 2 026 14 MF Dimas Delgado 1 01 19 MF Udanta Singh 1 01 27 MF Suresh Singh Wangjam 1 01 31 MF Leon Augustine 1 01 55 MF Fran González 1 01Own goals 1 0 1Total 26 5 31 Source: soccerway Updated: 14 April 2021
Clean sheets PlayerISLAFCTotal11GK Gurpreet Singh Sandhu415231GK Lalthuammawia Ralte000TOTALS 4 1 5 Source: soccerway Updated: 14 April 2021
Disciplinary record
PlayerISLAFCTotalNotes1 6 MF Erik Paartalu 8 0 0 0 8 0Missed a game, against Mumbai City (4 yellow cards)(5 January 2021) Missed a game, against East Bengal (7 yellow cards)(2 February 2021)2 10 DF Harmanjot Khabra 6 0 0 0 6 0Missed a game, against East Bengal (4 yellow cards)(9 January 2021)3 4 DF Pratik Chaudhari 5 0 0 0 5 0Missed a game, against Mumbai City (4 yellow cards)(15 February 2021)4 2 DF Rahul Bheke 4 0 0 0 4 0Missed a game, against Chennaiyin (4 yellow cards)(5 February 2021) 22 MF Ashique Kuruniyan 4 0 0 0 4 0Missed a game, against Jamshedpur (4 yellow cards)(25 February 2021)6 5 DF Juanan 3 0 0 0 3 0 11 FW Sunil Chhetri 3 0 0 0 3 0 23 FW Cleiton Silva 3 0 0 0 3 0 27 MF Suresh Singh Wangjam 3 0 0 0 3 010 14 MF Dimas Delgado 2 0 0 0 2 0 15 DF Wungngayam Muirang 2 0 0 0 2 0 19 DF Ajith Kumar 2 0 0 0 2 0 29 DF Parag Shrivas 2 0 0 0 2 0 55 DF Fran González 2 0 0 0 2 015 1 GK Gurpreet Singh Sandhu 1 0 0 0 1 0 17 FW Edmund Lalrindika 1 0 0 0 1 0 Source: soccerway Updated: 14 April 2021
References
Notes
See also 2020–21 in Indian football