East Bengal, which won the Kalinga Super Cup last year, changed managers to stay on course for a better performance in Indian top flight this season.
The Red-and-Gold Brigade swapped Carles Cuadrat with compatriot Oscar Bruzon and saw the tides turn initially, with the club moving in the knockouts of AFC Challenge League and remaining unbeaten in the latter’s first six matches in charge.
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But with injuries and inconsistent form playing spoilsport, the Kolkata-based club finds itself two spots below the threshold of playoffs, ninth, with 27 points from 22 games.
According to the 2022-23 format, the top two teams secure direct semifinal berths, while teams ranked third to sixth compete in single-leg playoffs for the remaining spots.
Full ISL 2024-24 points table
| Position | Teams | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1. | Mohun Bagan SG (Q) | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 43 | 14 | 29 | 52 |
| 2. | FC Goa (Q) | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 42 |
| 3. | Bengaluru FC (Q) | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 39 | 28 | 11 | 37 |
| 4. | Jamshedpur FC (Q) | 21 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 34 | -2 | 37 |
| 5. | NorthEast United | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 39 | 29 | 10 | 32 |
| 6. | Mumbai City FC | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 32 |
| 7. | Odisha fc | 22 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 41 | 35 | 6 | 29 |
| 8. | East Bengal | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 26 | 28 | -2 | 27 |
| 9. | Kerala Blasters | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 30 | 35 | -5 | 24 |
| 10. | Punjab FC | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 29 | 34 | -5 | 24 |
| 11. | OF FC | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 34 | -5 | 24 |
| 12. | Hyderabad FC | 21 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 20 | 41 | -21 | 17 |
| 13. | Mohammedan SC | 21 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 10 | 39 | -29 | 11 |
How can East Bengal qualify for Indian Super League playoffs?
East Bengal will have to win all its remaining two games and need NorthEast United to lose its other match or hope that Mumbai City FC fails to collect any more points.
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Additionally, it would need Kerala Blasters, Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC to drop points in any of their remaining games, while also hoping Odisha FC does not collect more than three points in its last two matches.