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Journalism of Courage
Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of ATK Mohun Bagan announced that from next season the Mariners will be called Mohun Bagan Super Giants. The development comes after the Bengal club defeated Bengaluru FC on penalties to win the Indian Super League title on Saturday.
“We are removing ATK, it will be Mohun Bagan Super Giants from next season. Well, it was something that was on the cards. I was waiting for the win to announce it,” Goenka said after the match.
Ever since Mohun Bagan merged with ATK in January 2020, where the RPSG Group became the majority shareholders in the new club along with Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited to emerge as ATK Mohun Bagan FC, there have been a few points of differences between fans and the management.
In 2021, supporters of the club had vented their ire alleging the history and legacy of the club were being damaged more often than not. The ATKMB fans had hit the streets, raised slogans in front of the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club tent, and then marched with posters in front of CESC House in Dharmatala, Kolkata, demanding that the prefix ATK be removed.
On Saturday, ATK Mohun Bagan held their nerves to beat Bengaluru FC 4-3 on penalties and lift their maiden title.
In a game that ended 2-2 in regulation time, ATKMB’s Dimitri Petratos scored all three penalties he took on the night before Vishal Kaith’s save from Bruno Ramires’ in the shootout brought them one step closer.
Bengaluru FC’s Pablo Perez then sent his spot-kick over the bar as the Mariners sealed the result in a game where they had unsettled Bengaluru FC right from the start.
