Mohun Bagan host Bengaluru FC in their AFC Cup Group E match at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium on May 17 -- their fifth meeting this season in all competitions -- with a lot more at stake for 2016 runners-up Bengaluru than for the home side.
Here's what you must keep in mind ahead of the clash between the two Indian clubs, who will feature again in the Federation Cup final on May 21 in Cuttack.
So how is the AFC Cup different this season?
The AFC Cup format, which took two teams from the group stages through to the round of 16 until the 2016 edition, has made way for a new format this season, wherein the winner of Group E will advance to the inter-zonal play-off semi-finals. Played over two legs, the winners will then get to play the inter-zonal play-off finals, the winner of which will play the AFC Cup final of 2017.
This means the winner of Group E will be just four games away from featuring in an AFC Cup final against a team from the west Asian region.
Where does that leave Mohun Bagan?
Mohun Bagan and Bangladesh club Dhaka Abahani have only collected one win from their four matches and are out of contention for the knockout stages.
Bagan can get to a maximum of nine points if they win their remaining two matches. With Maziya and BFC already on that figure - and set to face off in Bengaluru on May 31 - the best Bagan can hope for is second place.
So why must Bengaluru look to get full points on Wednesday?
The first differentiating point in terms of qualification for the knockout will be the head-to-head between two teams level on points.
Bengaluru beat Maziya with an injury-time John Johnson goal in Male on April 4. Even if Maziya win their home match on May 17 against Dhaka Abahani and maintain a superior goal difference to Bengaluru, Bengaluru will be level on points with them if they beat Bagan. That would mean a draw on the final day of the league stages should suffice for Bengaluru.
What about the Federation Cup final then?
BFC will be without their inspirational captain Sunil Chhetri, who suffered a muscle injury in the 1-1 draw in their last league match against Mohun Bagan in the Federation Cup. With nothing to gain from the match, Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen could field an all-Indian squad just as they did in their previous match.
Roca might not have the luxury of giving all his key players a rest, but expect some juggling of personnel, as was the case in the Federation Cup semi-final. Other than Chhetri, the others who will miss the tie are Johnson and Harmanjot Khabra -- both through suspension -- and Amrinder Singh, Cameron Watson and Juan Antonio through injury and illness.
Who are the players worth keeping an eye out for?
Jeje Lalpekhlua, one of Bagan's key attacking players, has been in poor form in recent matches. His recent lack of scoring has seen his starting place go to Balwant Singh, who has been outstanding alongside Darryl Duffy in the Federation Cup, where both strikers have three goals apiece. Expect Jeje to treat this match as an audition for Sunday's final in case he gets a go.
Roca has kept his faith in a 3-4-3 formation in recent games, a tactic that has worked well, especially with Khabra and Nishu Kumar taking their chances to operate as wingers who fall back to contribute to defence. Wednesday might see a role for 20-year-old Gursimrat Singh Gill, who made his club debut as a substitute in the 2-0 win over Abahani in April. Gill also started in the last I-League game against Churchill Brothers, and offers versatility in defence.
Kick Off: Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata, 7 pm onwards