'Bengaluru FC wants to play in new top league after merger'

Bengaluru FC wants to be a part of the primary league of the country if I-League and Indian Super League (ISL) are merged, the football club's chief technical officer Mandar Tamhane has said.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and their marketing and commercial partners, IMG-Reliance, are expected to share the roadmap for Indian football on Tuesday, proposing a merger of both the leagues to make a composite competition of 10 teams. The new football structure in the country will reportedly have three leagues - the primary division, the first division and the second division.

Tamhane said after the merger between the two leagues, the winner of the new league would eventually get an opportunity to represent India at the continental stage.

"We are going to the meeting with an open mind. Whichever product becomes the main league of the country, Bengaluru FC would want to be a part of it if given an opportunity," Tamhane was quoted as saying by goal.com on Monday.

"If you tell me that X league will become the main league of the country, we would like to be a part of it. We want to have a chance to represent the country at Asian level," he said.

Tamhane added, "The owners (Jindals) of this club started it with the idea to make a fraction of a difference to Indian football. In line with the same vision, whatever is good for Indian football or whatever we feel is right for the progress of the beautiful game in the country, we are very much for it."

--IANS

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