2023–24 Kerala Blasters FC season
 | This article may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. (June 2024) |
| 2023–24 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during a league match during the season. | ||||
| Owner | Magnum Sports Private Limited | |||
| Chairman |  Nikhil Bhardwaj | |||
| Head coach |  Ivan Vukomanović | |||
| Stadium | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, Kerala | |||
| Indian Super League | 5th Playoffs: Knockout | |||
| Indian Super Cup | Group stage | |||
| Durand Cup | Group stage | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Dimitrios Diamantakos (13 goals) All: Dimitrios Diamantakos (16 goals) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 34,981 Kerala Blasters FC 2–0 Mumbai City FC, 24 December 2023 | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 17,650 Kerala Blasters FC 1–3 Punjab FC, 12 February 2024 | |||
| Average home league attendance | 27,518.8 | |||
| Biggest win | 5–0 (vs Indian Air Force (N), 21 August 2023, 2023 Durand Cup) | |||
| Biggest defeat | 1–4 (vs NorthEast United FC (N), 20 January 2024, 2024 Indian Super Cup) | |||
| | ||||
| All statistics correct as of 3 May 2024, 13:52 (UTC). | ||||
The 2023–24 season was the tenth season in Kerala Blasters FC's existence, as well as their tenth season in the Indian Super League.[1] It began in August 2023 with the 2023 Durand Cup and ended in April 2024 with the 2023–24 Indian Super League playoffs.
Following the 2022–23 season, the Blasters parted ways with their long-time assistant coach Ishfaq Ahmed.[2] It was followed by some numerous contract extensions, starting with Dimitrios Diamantakos, who was the club's top-scorer during the previous season.[3] In May 2023, the Blasters made an early foreign signing in the form of Jaushua Sotirio, who was then ruled-out of the entire season following an ankle injury during the pre-season camp.[4] This season also witnessed the departure of the Blasters' captain Jessel Carneiro after his four years at the club.[5] Just a day following the departure of Carneiro, five more players (including three foreigners), who donned the kit for the Blasters, left the club.[6] During this pre-season, the Blasters midfielder, Vibin Mohanan, was sent to Greece for a month-long training stint with the Super League Greece club OFI Crete FC.[7] Ahead of the season, the Blasters also ended their six-year association with their then-most-capped player at the time, Sahal Abdul Samad, swapping him with Pritam Kotal from Mohun Bagan Super Giant, receiving a reported transfer fee of ₹90 lakhs.[8] The club also made their most expensive signing its history by paying FC Goa a reported fee of ₹1.45 crores for the transfer of Aibanbha Dohling on a three-year contract.[9] As part of a new initiative, the Blasters brought in a 20 year old Justine Emmanuel from Nigeria, who joined the Blasters' pre-season camp on trial.[10] He would then go on to represent the club in the Durand Cup as well as in the league. The Blasters played three friendly matches during their pre-season camp in Kerala, before travelling to United Arab Emirates for playing out three friendly matches against the UAE Pro League sides during their eleven day tour of UAE.[11] Just days before the start of the new competitive season, the Blasters would announce the signing of the Indian international Ishan Pandita.[12]
The Blasters began their season with the 2023 Durand Cup, and was drawn alongside the arch-rivals Bengaluru FC in Group C.[13] They played their first match of the season against Gokulam Kerala FC on 13 August in a 3–4 loss.[14] With their 5–0 win over the Indian Navy FT in the tournament, the Blasters registered the highest win in their history, before getting eliminated from the competition after finishing third in the group with just four points.[15]
Following the Durand Cup exit, the UAE tour, and some foreign reinforcements in the form of Miloš Drinčić, Kwame Peprah, and Daisuke Sakai, the Blasters came in to the new season of the Indian Super League, led by Adrián Luna, in the season opener against the Bengaluru FC on 21 September, which they won 2–1 at home, starting the league season with a win.[16] After handing Jamshedpur FC a defeat in their second match of the season, the Blasters made history by winning the first two games of the league phase for the first time in their history.[17] The injury constraints at the club continued as both Aibanbha Dohling (ruled-out) and Jeakson Singh were sidelined for an extended period of time after sustaining injuries in just the third league match of the season against Mumbai City FC.[18] On 27 October against Odisha FC, the Blasters' manager Ivan Vukomanović returned to the dugout for the first time since the end of his ten-match by the AIFF-DC due to his actions in the previous season's playoffs.[19] The Blasters would go on to win the match with in a two-goal comeback, with the winner being scored by the captain Luna, who subsequently became the joint top-scorer in the club's history, alongside Bartholomew Ogbeche.[20] In November, the Blasters' midfielder Freddy Lallawmawma was met with an unprecedented bike accident, and was sidelined towards the later half of the season.[21] In the 3–3 draw against Chennaiyin FC in November, the Blasters's striker Diamantakos scored a brace and thus became the all-time top scorer for the Blasters with 16 goals across all competitions, surpassing the joint-record set by Ogbeche and Luna.[22] The Blasters suffered another injury set-back during the mid-season, as their captain Luna was ruled-out injured during a training session, till the playoffs in April 2024.[23][24] The returning fixture against Mumbai City at home during the Christmas Eve on 24 December registered the highest match attendance for the Blasters during the season, as 34,981 spectators witnessed a comfortable 2–0 win by the Blasters.[25] The Blasters would meet Mohun Bagan Super Giants just three days following the win against Mumbai City, and a sole goal from Diamantakos ensured the three points for the Blasters, as they defeated Mohun Bagan for the first time in their history.[26] During the winter transfer-window, the Blasters would sign the Lithuania national team captain Fedor Černych as an injury replacement for Adrián Luna for the remainder of the season.[27]
During the international breaks in January 2024, the Blasters took part in the 2024 Indian Super Cup, after being drawn to Group B along with two other ISL clubs.[28] They began their Super Cup campaign on 10 January in a 3–1 over Shillong Lajong FC.[29] However, the Blasters were disqualified from the tournament following the two defeats in the rest of the group stage matches.[30] During the campaign, the Blasters' forward Kwame Peprah was injured and was ruled-out for the rest of the season, adding to the long list of active injuries at the club.[31] As a result, the Blasters recalled Justine Emmanuel from his loan spell in Gokulam Kerala for the second phase of the league.[32]
The Blasters started their second phase of the league with a 2–1 defeat against Odisha,[33] and the Blasters would then go on to lose their next two matches against Punjab FC and Chennaiyin FC in the returning fixtures respectively.[34] The injury problems followed the Blasters in to the second-half of the league season as their first-choice goalkeeper Sachin Suresh was injured during the match against Chennaiyin in February, and was then ruled-out for the remainder of the season.[35] The club only won two league games in 2024, with their first league win of the year coming against FC Goa on 25 February, where they were 0–2 down at half-time, but the Blasters would score four goals in the second-half to register a famous comeback win,[36] as the Blasters won their first competitive game after five consecutive defeats across the Super Cup and the league. The team's drop in form was inevitable, as they went winless yet again for the next five matches until they met Hyderabad FC away from home in their last match of the league, as the Blasters defeated the latter 1–3 to win their last game of 2024.[37] It was during this period that the Blasters were hit with the season-ending injuries of two more players, as both Diamantakos and Justine was injured, and was sidelined following the match against East Bengal in Kochi.[38][39] After finishing the regular season with 33 points at 5th spot in the table, the Blasters qualified for the league playoffs for the third consecutive time, an accomplishment which was unprecedented in the club's history.[40]
The Blasters would meet Odisha at the Kalinga Stadium on 19 April for the knockout play-offs.[41] After a goal-less first-half, the Blasters were put in front by Fedor Černych in the second-half, however, Odisha would score a late equalizer in the last minutes of the game to take the match to the extra-time.[42] The Blasters defense was breached once again as Odisha found their winner in the extra-time to win the match by 2–1 to knock the Blasters out of the tournament[43] A season coupled with injuries was further extended as their goalkeeper, Lara Sharma, who came in to the playing eleven as a result of an injured Sachin Suresh, was also stretched out of the Blasters' last game of the season following an injury.[44] By the end of the football season, the Blasters had over a dozen injuries in their squad throughout the season coupled with a dozen suspensions,[45][46] as the Blasters ended their 2023–24 season without a silverware.[47]
After netting 13 goals for the Blasters throughout the entire league season, Dimitrios Diamantakos won the league's Golden Boot award for topping the goal-scoring chart, and thus became the first Blasters player to win the award.[48]
Kits[edit]
Supplier: SIX5SIX / Shirt front sponsor: BYJU'S / Shirt back sponsor: 1xBat Sporting Lines / Chest sponsor: Asian Paints / Sleeve sponsor: Yakult & Croma
         Home kit |  Away kit |  Third kit |
Blasters unveiled their kit lineup for the 2023-24 season, with the home kit revealed on 2 September, adhering to the club's classic yellow and blue colors.[49] The away kit, introduced on 11 August, features a unique blend of blue and purple shades.[50] On 7 September, the club showcased an all-new all-green third kit, replacing the traditional white, with its design drawing inspiration from the coconut tree symbolizing Kerala's natural beauty.[51]
Kit usage[edit]
| Kit | Combination | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Yellow body, yellow sleeves, blue shorts and yellow socks. | |
| Away | Purple-pink body, purple sleeves, purple shorts and purple socks. |
|
| Third | Green body, green sleeves, green shorts and green socks. |
|
| Goalkeeper1 | Red shirt, red shorts and red socks. |
|
| Goalkeeper2 | Gray shirt, gray shorts and gray socks. |
|
| Goalkeeper3 | Purple shirt, purple shorts and purple socks. | |
| Training kit | Livid shirt, livid shorts and livid socks. |
|
Partners and sponsors[edit]
Note:
- The first section of the following table mentions all the partners and sponsors of the Blasters during 2023-24 season.
- The second section of the following table showcases the brands with which the Blasters have chosen to maintain their partnerships, as disclosed on their official website. These associations were not formally announced prior to the season.
| Main | Others | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand Designation | Brand Name | Since | Till | Refs. | Brand Designation | Brand Name | Refs. | |
| Kit & Merchandise Partner | SIX5SIX | 2021 | 2024 | [91] | Blockchain Partner |  NEAR | [92] | |
| Principle Sponsor | BYJU'S | 2021 | 2024 | [93] | ||||
| Presenting Partner | 1xBat Sporting Lines | 2022 | 2024 | [94] | Footwear Partner | CHUPPS | ||
| Paint Partner | Asian Paints | 2023 | 2024 | [95] | ||||
| Associate Partner |  Yakult | 2022 | 2024 | [96] | Snack Partner | Kravin' | ||
| Electronics Partner | Cromā | 2022 | 2024 | [97] | ||||
| Fashion Partner | Revv Up | 2023 | 2024 | [98] | Food Partner |  ChicKing | ||
| Medical Partner | Futureace Hospital | 2023 | 2024 | [99] | E-Mobility Partner | Vaan | ||
| Media Partner | Malayala Manorama | 2014 | 2024 | [100] | Grassroots & Youth Development Partner | Reliance Foundation | ||
| Social Change Partner | Dil Se India | 2021 | 2024 | [101] | ||||
| Travel Partner | ClubW | 2022 | 2024 | [102] | Technical Partner | Sporthood | ||
| Associate Sponsor | Kalliyath TMT | 2022 | 2024 | [103] | ||||
| Official Partner | ELANCE Learning Provider | 2023 | 2024 | [98] | Pouring Partner | Bisleri | ||
| Official Sponsor | Aifer Education | 2023 | 2024 | [104] | ||||
Background[edit]
Kerala Blasters came into the 2023–24 season after a dramatic 2022–23 season.[105] The club came into the 2022–23 season after becoming the runner-ups of the 2021–22 IndIan Super League season, but failed to register any trophies to their name at the end of the season.[106] The season began with the Blasters sending their youth squad as their first team to the Durand Cup who was knocked out in the quarter-finals.[107][108] This particular season was remarked by the Blasters' walk-off from the league's knockout stage match against their arch-rivals Bengaluru FC following their disagreement on the free-kick goal scored by Sunil Chhetri during the extra-time.[109] The Blasters were eventually disqualified from the league's knockout stages,[110] and were penalized by the All India Football Federation as a result of their walk-off.[111] They ended their 2022–23 campaign with the group stage disqualification from the 2023 Indian Super Cup tournament, in which they failed to qualify for the knockout stages as a result of ending up third in the group stage.[112]
Pre-season overview[edit]
|
2023[edit]
April[edit]
On 18 April 2023, the Blasters announced that they have mutually parted ways with their assistant coach Ishfaq Ahmed.[113][114]
On 24 April, the Blasters announced their squad for the Reliance Foundation Development League's national phase.[115]
May[edit]
On 4 May, the Blasters announced that they have extended the contract of the Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos till the end of the 2023–24 season.[116][117]
On 9 May, the Blasters announced the contract extension of youngsters Muhammad Saheef, Mohammed Azhar and Mohammed Aimen until 2026.[118][119]
On 12 May, the Blasters announced the contract extension of the Indian midfielder Nihal Sudeesh till 2026 on a three-year contract.[120][121]
On 16 May, the Blasters announced the signing of the Australian winger Jaushua Sotirio on a two-year deal after reaching an agreement with Newcastle Jets FC for an undisclosed transfer fee.[122][123]
On 18 May, the Blasters announced that they have been granted ICLS Premier 1 license by the All India Football Federation.[124][125]
On 19 May, AIFF announced the final Indian squad for the 2023 Intercontinental Cup and 2023 SAFF Championship, which consisted of the Blasters' players; Pritam Kotal (who was signed after the tournament), Jeakson Singh, and then Sahal Abdul Samad (whom would later leave the club during the pre-season).[126][127]
On 19 May, the Blasters announced the contract extension of assistant coach Frank Dauwen till 2025.[128][129]
On 21 May, the Blasters announced the contract extension of the Indian defender Hormipam Ruivah till 2027 on a four-year long-term contract.[130][131]
On 30 May, the Blasters announced the departure of their club captain, Jessel Carneiro after four years with the club.[132]
On 31 May, the Blasters announced the departures of Víctor Mongil, Apostolos Giannou, Ivan Kalyuzhnyi, Harmanjot Khabra and Muheet Shabir from the club as their contracts ended on the same day.[133]
June[edit]
On 1 June, the Blasters announced the signing of the Indian right-back Prabir Das till 2026 on a three-year deal from their rivals Bengaluru FC.[134][135]
On 2 June, the All India Football Federation's Appeal Committee rejected the Blasters' and their coach Ivan Vukomanović's appeal against their Indian rupees four crore's fine for abandonment of the last season's league knockout stage match against Bengaluru,[136] and rejected Vukumanovic's appeal against the fine of Indian rupees five lakhs and 10-game ban imposed by the All India Football Federation's Disciplinary committee for calling the players off from the pitch amidst the game.[137]
On 6 June, the Blasters announced that they have temporarily shut down their women's team after the men's side were fined by AIFF for their walk-off from the playoff match last season.[138][139]
On 13 June, the Blasters announced the departure of their Indian left-back Denechandra Meitei after spending three years at the club.[140]
On 14 June, the Blasters announced the loan departure of their Indian wing-back Nishu Kumar to East Bengal Club for the upcoming season.[141][142]
On 16 June, the Blasters announced the one-year contract extension of their Indian goalkeeper Karanjit Singh till 2024.[143][144]
On 22 June, the Blasters was ranked 70th in the CIES Football Observatory's weekly post of top 100 clubs in world with most social media followers, with the Blasters being the only club from India being featured in the list with 6.7 million followers across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by the time of the release of the rankings.[145][146]
On 24 June, it was announced that the Blasters have taken the appeal of the AIFF's sanctions on them as a result of their walk-off in the last season's knockout stage match against Bengaluru to the Court of Arbitration for Sport based in Switzerland.[147][148]
On 26 June, the Blasters announced the signing of the Indian winger Bikash Singh Sagolsem till 2025 on a two year contract with an option to extend, and was subsequently sent on loan to Mohammedan SC for the upcoming season.[149]
July[edit]
On 1 July, the Blasters announced that their Indian midfielder Vibin Mohanan would travel to Greece for a one-month training stint with the Super League Greece club OFI Crete FC ahead of the season.[150][151]
On 10 July, the Blasters appointed T. G. Purushothaman as their new first-team assistant head coach ahead of new season on a three-year contract till 2026.[152][153]
On 11 July, the Blasters announced that the player arrivals for the pre-season camp of new season had begun in Kochi from 10 July 2023.[154][155]
On 12 July, the Blasters announced the departure of their first-choice goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill to East Bengal Club for an undisclosed transfer fee.[156][157]
On 13 July, the Blasters announced the loan signing of the Indian left-back Naocha Singh from Mumbai City FC until the end of the season.[158][159]
On 14 July, the Blasters announced the departure of their most-capped player and their Indian midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad to Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who bought the latter for an undisclosed transfer fee in a swap deal with the Blasters acquiring the services of the Indian right-back Pritam Kotal from Mohun Bagan Super Giant on a three-year deal.[160][161]
On 14 July, the Blasters announced that the Nigerian forward Justine Ojoka Emmanuel has joined their pre-season camp on a trial.[162][163]
On 16 July, the Blasters announced that their Uruguayan midfielder Adrián Luna as their new number 10 ahead of the upcoming season.[164][165]
On 17 July, the Blasters announced the contract extension of their Indian goalkeeper Sachin Suresh till 2026 on a three-year contract.[166][167]
On 19 July, the Blasters provided a statement on the ankle injury sustained by their Australian winger Jaushua Sotirio during the training session in their pre-season camp and ruled him out of action till 2024 depending upon on the degree of the injury.[168][169]
On 20 July, the Blasters announced the departure of their Indian central midfielder Ayush Adhikari after reaching an agreement with an unknown club for an undisclosed transfer fee.[170]
On 25 July, the Blasters announced that their Australian winger Jaushua Sotirio has undergone a surgery following his injury in the pre-season camp.[171][172]
On 28 July, the Blasters played their first pre-season friendly match against Maharaja's College football team, which they won 8–0.[173] The match played at the training facility of the Blasters in Panampilly Nagar saw Bijoy Varghese and Bidyashagar Singh complete their respective braces in the first half and Rahul K. P.'s second-half brace and a single goal each from Dimitrios Diamantakos and Adrián Luna in the second-half stretched the final score 8–0 in favour of the Blasters.[173]
August[edit]
On 1 August, the Blasters announced the loan signing of Indian goalkeeper Lara Sharma from Bengaluru FC till the end of the season.[174][175]
On 8 August, the Blasters played their second pre-season friendly match against the Kerala Premier League club Kovalam FC, which they won 5–0 at 120 minutes.[176] Jeakson Singh scored the first goal followed by a brace from the Nigerian forward Justine Emmanuel, who completed his brace. Later, a single scored by both Nihal Sudeesh and Muhammad Ajsal sealed a five-nil victory for the Blasters at full time for the match held in their training facility in Panampilly Nagar.[177]
On 9 August, the Blasters announced their squad for the 2023 Durand Cup tournament.[178][179]
On 10 August, the Blasters announced the signing of the Indian forward Ishan Pandita on a two-year deal with an option to extend for an additional year, and also confirmed his participation for the club in the 2023 Durand Cup tournament, which was hinted by the club during the squad announcement the previous day.[180][181]
On 11 August, the Blasters announced the launching of their away-kit for the upcoming season.[50]
Season overview[edit]
2023[edit]
August[edit]
On 13 August, the Blasters played their first competitive match of the season against Gokulam Kerala FC in the Durand Cup, which they lost 3–4.[183] Gokulam took the lead through Aminou Bouba but the Blasters retaliated through their trial player Justine Emmanuel who drew level with a goal resulted from a corner kick in the 35th minute. Sreekuttan V. S. restored the lead for Gokulam, who put the ball in goal with a header, and an own goal by the Blasters defender Naocha Singh gave Gokulam a two goal lead before half-time.[184] Gokulam netted their fourth goal of the match through Abhijith K just two minutes after the resumption of the second-half.[185] Blasters scored their second goal through Prabir Das, who scored his debut goal in his debut match in the 54th minute. Even though Adrián Luna scored the third goal for the Blasters in the 77th minute, they could not avoid a defeat as the Blasters began their season with a 3–4 defeat at full-time.[186]
On 14 August, the Blasters announced the signing of the Montenegrin centre-back Miloš Drinčić on a one-year deal.[187][188]
On 16 August, the Blasters announced that they would be flying to United Arab Emirates from 5 September to 16 September as a part of their pre-season preparations.[189][190]
On 16 August, the Blasters announced their fixtures for their pre-season tour in UAE.[189]
On 17 August, the Blasters announced the departure of the Indian forward Muhammad Ajsal to I-League side Inter Kashi FC on a season-long loan deal.[191][192]
On 18 August, the Blasters played their second group stage match of the 2023 Durand Cup tournament against rivals Bengaluru FC, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[193] The Blasters took an early lead through Justine, who found the edge of the net in the 14th minute. Edmund Lalrindika's long-range ball in the 38th minute helped Bengaluru to find their equalizer and they took the lead just after the half-time through Ashish Jha, who completed a counter-attack by the Bengaluru to score the second goal of the night for Bengaluru in the 52nd minute of the match. Even though Bengaluru took the lead, the Blasters scored their second of the night through the substitute player Mohammed Aimen, who scored his debut goal for the Blasters in the 82nd minute.[194] Hormipam Ruivah was shown a second-yellow and sent-off from the pitch due to a foul on the Bengaluru's forward Monirul Molla in the 86th minute,[195] but the Blasters avoided a defeat, as the Southern Derby ended in a thrilling 2–2 draw, which resulted in their elimination from the tournament.[196]
On 20 August, the Blasters announced the signing of the Ghanaian striker Kwame Peprah on a two-year deal.[197][198]
On August 21, the Blasters played their last match of the 2023 Durand Cup against Indian Air Force which they won 5–0. The Blasters swiftly took control as Aimen opened the scoring in the 9th minute through a long-range shot.[200] Just three minutes later, Bidyashagar Singh capitalized on an assist from Danish Farooq Bhat to double the advantage. The momentum continued into the second half, and Danish Farooq extended the Blasters' lead by finding the back of the net in the 57th minute.[201] However, the spotlight remained on Bidyashagar, as he completed his hat-trick with two more goals in the 61st and 82nd minutes respectively to secure the three-points for the Blasters in what was a brief moment of success for the club in an otherwise disappointing tournament.[202]
On 25 August, the Blasters announced the Indian multinational paint company, Asian Paints as their official paint partners for the upcoming season.[203][204]
On 26 August, the Blasters announced that they would be playing a friendly match against Punjab FC in AIFF Centre of Excellence in Kolkata on 27 August.[205]
On 27 August, the Blasters played their third friendly match of the season against the newly promoted ISL side Punjab FC, which they lost 2–3.[206] Punjab scored an early goal, but Bidyashagar scored the equalizer for the Blasters from a Naocha Singh's ball before the half-time to level the game. Punjab were quick to retalliate as they scored two more goal in succession to give them a two goal lead. The Blasters scored their second of the evening through Drinčić, who came in a substitute for Ruivah in the 75th minute to head in a ball from a corner-kick, but it could not prove to be a vital goal as the Blasters lost the match 2–3 at the end of the day.[206]
On 29 August, the Blasters announced the signing of Aibanbha Dohling from FC Goa on a three-year contract till 2026 for an undisclosed transfer fee, with the transfer subjecting to medicals.[207][208]
On 29 August, AIFF announced the Indian squad for the 2023 King's Cup, in which two Blasters' players: Jeakson Singh and Rahul K. P. were included in the list.[209][210]
On 31 August, the Blasters announced the signing of the Indian midfielder Freddy Lallawmawma from Punjab FC on a three-year contract till 2026 for an undisclosed transfer fee.[211][212]
September[edit]
On 1 September, the Blasters announced the loan departures of Bijoy Varghese to Inter Kashi, Givson Singh to Odisha FC and Justine Emmanuel and Muhammed Saheef going to Gokulam Kerala respectively.[213][214]
On 1 September, the Blasters announced that 1xBat SportingLines will continue as their presenting partners for the upcoming season.[215]
On 2 September, the Blasters announced the signing of the Japanese winger Daisuke Sakai as their final foreign signing of the season in replacement for injured Jaushua Sotirio on a one-year deal till 2024.[216][217]
On 2 September, the Blasters unveiled their home-kit for the upcoming season.[218]
On 5 September, the Blasters announced Futureace Hospital as their medical partner for the upcoming season.[219]
On 7 September, FSDL and the Indian Super League announced the fixtures for the first half of the 2023–24 ISL season,[220] and it was decided that the Blasters would face their rivals Bengaluru FC in Kochi on 21 September in the opening match of the season.[221]
On 7 September, the Blasters unveiled their third-kit for the upcoming season. An all green kit was unveiled replacing the traditional white third-kit.[51]
On 8 September, the Blasters announced that they would be playing their friendlies against Sharjah FC and Shabab Al Ahli Club in closed doors, with only the match against Al Wasl F.C. being ticketed to the spectators.[222]
On 9 September, the Blasters played their fourth friendly match of the season and the first match of their UAE tour against Al Wasl F.C., which they lost 0–6.[223] Al Wasl scored two goals in succession through Nicolás Giménez and Adama Diallo, whom scored the opening two goals for the latter in the 19th and the 20th minutes respectively. However, it was not the end of scoring for both the players as Giménez and Diallo completed their braces before half-time to give Al Wasl a four-goal lead coming into the second-half.[224] They would go on to extend the score-line as the Blasters conceded two more goals as Siaka Sidibe and Ali Salmeen found the net for Wasl in the second half to hand the Blasters a humiliating defeat in their first match of the UAE tour ahead of the season.[225]
On 12 September, the Blasters announced Aifer Education as one of their partners for the upcoming season.[226][227]
On 12 September, the Blasters played their fifth friendly match of the season and the second match of their UAE tour Sharjah FC, which they won 2–1.[228] Daisuke Sakai opened the scoresheet for the Blasters, who netted a free-kick to give the Blasters their opening goal, and Kwame Peprah's goal some minutes later doubled the lead for the Blasters.[229] Sharjah pulled one goal back before the half-time but a goalless second-half helped the Blasters to win their first match of the UAE tour by the score of 2–1 at full-time.[230]
On 13 September, the AIFF announced the Indian squad for the 19th Asian Games, as two Blasters players: Rahul K. P. and Bryce Miranda were named in the list.[231][232]
On 14 September, the Blasters announced that they would be playing their last match of the UAE tour against Al Jazirah Al Hamra Club instead of Shabab Al Ahli Club on the next day due to the changes in the UAE Pro League schedule.[233]
On 15 September, Blasters played their sixth and last friendly match of the season against Al Jazirah Al Hamra, which they won 2–0.[234] Bidyashagar's put the Blasters in front with a 35th-minute goal to give the Blasters a one-goal lead before the half-time. Pritam Kotal secured the win for the Blasters with a late goal, that resulted from a corner-kick in the injury-time of the second-half, as the Blasters ended their pre-season with a 2–0 win.[235]
On 16 September, the Blasters announced Malayala Manorama as their media partner for the upcoming season.[236][237]
On 19 September, the Blasters announced Kalliyath TMT as one of their associate sponsors for the upcoming season.[238]
On 19 September, the Blasters announced ELANCE Learning Provider as one of their partners for the upcoming season.[239]
On 19 September, the Blasters announced Revv Up as their fashion partner for the upcoming season.[240]
On 20 September, the Blasters announced that ClubW would remain as their travel partner for the upcoming season.[241]
On 20 September, the Blasters announced their squad for the upcoming league season.[242][243]
On 20 September, the Blasters announced that their Uruguayan midfielder Adrián Luna would captain the side for the 2023–24 season.[244][245]
On 21 September, the Blasters played their first league match of the season in the season opener against the rivals Bengaluru FC, which they won 2–1.[247] Bengaluru had the possession in the first-half but neither sides could find the net in the first forty-five minutes. The Blasters had the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Bengaluru's midfielder Keziah Veendorp out the ball in his own net to give the Blasters their first goal of the match.[248] The Blasters' captain Luna were quick to double the lead for the latter as he capitalized on a goalkeeping error committed by the opposition goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the 69th minute. Even though the Blasters conceded a goal through Curtis Main in the 90th minute, the Blasters held on to the game till the last minute, as they won the Southern Derby 2–1 at full-time.[249]
On 22 September, the Blasters released a statement regarding a 'derogatory action' made by a Bengaluru FC player towards one of their own players in the opening match of the league.[250] They also announced that they had lodged a complaint with higher officials to initiate an investigation into the incident.[251]
On 29 September, AIFF announced the Indian squad for the 2023 Merdeka Cup, in which only one Blasters' player, Jeakson Singh was included in the list.[252][253]
On 30 September, the Blasters announced the launching of the youth development and grassroot centre under the banner of 'Young Blasters Sporthood Academy' in partnership with Blaster Sports Centre in the country of Qatar.[254]
October[edit]
On 1 October, the Blasters played their second league match of the season against Jamshedpur FC, which they won 1–0.[255] The match was characterized by a tightly contested battle for ball possession between both teams during the first half, resulting in no goals being scored. The score remained unchanged for the majority of the second-half, until the Blasters' captain, Luna, made a significant impact by scoring the only goal of the match in the 74th minute, with an assist from Dimitrios Diamantakos.[256] This win marked a historic moment for the Blasters, as they secured consecutive victories in their first two games of the season, an accomplishment unprecedented in the club's history.[257]
On 8 October, the Blasters played their third league match of the season against Mumbai City FC, which they lost 2–1.[258] Mumbai City took the lead through the ex-Blasters player Jorge Pereyra Díaz, who put the ball in the Blasters' goal in the added time of the first-half. The Blasters levelled the score in the 57th minute through Danish Farooq Bhat, who headed in a well-placed ball from Sandeep Singh,[259] but Mumbai City was soon to retaliate as Lalengmawia Ralte capitalized on a defensive error by the Blasters to give them a two goals to one lead in the 66th minute.[260] Tensions rose among both the sides during the final minutes of the second-half which resulted in the Blasters' defender Miloš Drinčić and the Mumbai City's midfielder Yoell van Nieff to be sent-off in the added-time of the second-half, as the Blasters lost their first game of the season.[261]
On 11 October, the Blasters released a statement on the injury sustained by their defender Aibanbha Dohling during the match against Mumbai City, which would rule him out for the rest of the season.[262][263]
On 18 October, it was reported that the AIFF Disciplinary Committee has banned the Blasters' defender Miloš Drinčić for the next three matches following his sent-off in the match against Mumbai City.[264][265]
On 18 October, the Blasters announced that their Indian defender Aibanbha Dohling has undergone a surgery following his injury during the match against Mumbai City FC.[266]
On 20 October, it was reported that the AIFF Disciplinary Committee has banned the Blasters' defender Prabir Das for the next three matches due to the latter's 'aggressive actions against the referee' during the match against Mumbai City FC.[267][268]
On 21 October, the Blasters played their fourth league match of the season against NorthEast United FC, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[269] Blasters fell short early in the first-half when Néstor Albiach scored the opening goal for the NorthEast in the 12th minute of the match. Blasters responded to the goal in the second-half when Danish Farooq, who scored his second league goal of the season, drew level for the latter in the 49th minute from a Luna's assist that resulted from a free-kick. The match concluded with the both teams playing out in a 1–1 draw, as the Blasters drew their first match of the season.[270]
On 27 October, the Blasters played their fifth league match of the season against Odisha FC which they won 2–1.[271] Odisha took an early lead through Diego Maurício, who put the ball in the back of the net in the 15th minute of the game. Odisha received in a penalty just seven minute after their first goal but Sachin Suresh came to rescue for the Blasters as he saved the penalty taken by Maurício to deny Odisha a two goal lead.[272] Odisha maintained their one goal lead up to the half-time, but Dimitrios Diamantakos, who came in as a substitute for Rahul K. P. scored the equalizer for the Blasters in the 66th minute. to score his first goal of the season from Daisuke Sakai's assist. Blasters took the lead in the 84th minute through Luna, who chipped one past the Odisha's goalkeeper Amrinder Singh to give the Blasters the lead, as the Blasters completed a comeback to win their third match of the season.[273] This match was also marked by the return of the Blasters' head coach Ivan Vukomanović, who returned to the dugout for the first time this season after his ten-match ban imposed by AIFF-DC due to his actions in the last season.[274]
November[edit]
On 3 November, the Blasters announced that their Indian midfileder Jeakson Singh has undergone a shoulder surgery following an injury sustained by the player during the match against Mumbai City FC on 8 October.[275][276]
On 3 November, AIFF announced the 28-men probable squad for the first two matches of Round 2 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualifiers as two Blasters' players: Ishan Pandita and Rahul K. P. were included in the list.[277][278]
On 4 November, the Blasters played their sixth league match of the season against East Bengal FC which they won 1–2.[279] Blasters took the lead in the 32nd minute through their Japanese midfielder Daisuke Sakai, who scored his debut goal to give the Blasters a one goal lead before the end of the first-half. The match was equally contested by both the sides throughout the second-half, and East Bengal was awarded with a penalty in the 85th minute which was saved by Sachin Suresh, who repeated his feat during the previous match against Odisha to deny the equalizer for East Bengal.[280] Blasters were quick to retaliate as Diamantakos doubled the lead for the Blasters in the 88th minute and was subsequently sent-off due to receiving a second-yellow as a result of celebrating without the jersey.[281] Even though East Bengal pulled one back through another penalty by Cleiton Silva in the end of the additional time, it could not stop them from losing as the Blasters won their fourth match of the season.[282]
On 10 November, the Blasters announced the extension of their association with Dil Se India as their social change partner for the occurring season.[101]
On 13 November, Blasters provided a statement on the bike accident sustained by their Indian midfielder Freddy Lallawmawma on 9 November during the international breaks while riding a motorcycle at Kundannoor, Kochi, which resulted in him getting admitted to a hospital after sustaining multiple injuries.[283][284]
On 25 November, the Blasters played their seventh league match of the season against Hyderabad FC, which they won 1–0.[285] The match was dominated by the Blasters throughout the first-half as their results paid-off in the 41st minute when the Blasters' defender Miloš Drinčić, who came back from a three-match suspension put the Blasters in front with his debut goal from a Luna's assist.[286] Both the sides had their fare share of chances in the second-half but the Blasters were able to hold on to their lead as they won their fifth match of the season to move back to the top of the table.[287][288]
On 29 November, the Blasters played their eighth league match of the season against the rivals Chennaiyin FC, which ended in a 3–3 draw.[289] Chennaiyin took a quick early lead in the first minute through Rahim Ali's goal, but Blasters equalized through Diamantakos, who put the ball in the back of the net from the spot in the 11th minute. Chennaiyin were quick to react as they won a penalty just two minutes after the Blasters' drew level as the ex-Blasters' player Jordan Murray did no mistake and retained the lead for the visitors. Murray would complete his brace in the 24th minute to further extend their lead but Kwame Peprah's debut goal for the Blasters in the 38th minute proved to be crucial as the Blasters now trailed for only one goal by the end of the first-half. The deeply contested match between both the sides would witness its final act in the 59th minute, as Diamantakos scored his second of the night for the Blasters as they drew level with Chennaiyin for the second time in the game as the match ended 3–3 at full-time.[290] With his second goal, Dimitrios Diamantakos became the all-time top scorer for the Blasters in their history with 16 goals, surpassing the joint-record of 15 goals set by Bartholomew Ogbeche and Adrián Luna.[291]
December[edit]
On 3 December, the Blasters played their ninth match of the season against FC Goa, which they lost 1–0.[292] The Blasters were in possession during the early moments of the match but could not capitalize their chances as they went one goal down just before the half-time in the added time when Rowllin Borges netted the ball to give Goa a one goal lead before going into the second-half. Neither sides would score on the second-half as the Blasters lost their second match of the season.[293]
On 11 December, the AIFF-DC suspended the Blasters' coach Ivan Vukomanović for one-match and imposed a fine of ₹50,000 following his comments against the referees in a post-match press-conference on 29 November after the match against Chennaiyin FC.[294][295]
On 13 December, the media outlets reported that the Blasters' captain Adrián Luna has been injured on his knee during the training session ahead of the match against Punjab FC and would be out for an indefinite amount of time,[296] and would be subjected to a surgery in Mumbai, potentially ruling him out for the rest of the season.[297]
On 14 December, the Blasters played their tenth match of the season against Punjab FC, which they won 0–1.[298] Both the teams had their fare share of chances but none of them was able to capitalize on their chances ahead of the first-half. The match saw its only goal in the 51st minute, when the Blasters' Greek forward Diamantakos netted in a penalty which resulted from a foul on Mohammed Aimen in the penalty box.[299] The Blasters held their momentum till the last minute as they won their sixth match of the season.[300]
On 16 December, the Blasters released an official statement on the injury sustained by the Blasters' captain Adrián Luna,[301] which mentioned that Luna underwent a minor arthroscopic surgery for the a chondral knee injury, which he sustained during a training session ahead of a matchday.[302]
On 18 December, the draw for the group stage of the 2024 Indian Super Cup was conducted by the AIFF,[303] in which the Blasters were drawn in the Group B alongside NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and the I-League's second spot finisher after the matches on 24 December 2023.[304]
On 20 December, the AIFF announced the fixtures for the 2024 Indian Super Cup, in which the Blasters would start their campaign on 10 January 2024 against the I-League 2nd ranked team.[305]
On 24 December, the Blasters played their eleventh match of the season in the returning fixture against Mumbai City FC, which they won 2–0.[306] The last home match of the Blasters in 2023 saw them take the lead in the 11th minute through Diamantakos, who beat Jayesh Rane and Phurba Lachenpa of Mumbai City from a low cross from Peprah to take them ahead in the match.[307] The Blasters fans, who came in numbers unveiled a tifo that read 'Recharge Luna' in the 10th minute as a tribute for their injured captain, Adrián Luna.[308] The Blasters had their share of chances in the first-half, with Rahul K. P. coming close to scoring in the added time, but the Blasters would double their lead through Peprah, who was assisted back by Diamantakos in the injury time of the first-half, as the Blasters went to the second-half with a two goal lead.[309] The team held on to their lead in the second-half as the Blasters won their seventh match of the season, which recorded the biggest match attendance of the season.[308]
On 27 December, the Blasters played their twelfth match of the season against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, which they won 0–1.[311] Blasters took the lead in their last match of the year through their talisman Diamantakos, who scored his seventh goal of the season in the 9th minute of the match after dribbling past three Mohun Bagan defenders to give them an early lead.[312] The Blasters dominated the first-half,[313] and was able to retain their one goal lead till the last minute of the second-half, as they won their eighth match of the season, and also registered their first win over Mohun Bagan and Juan Ferrando in their history.[314]
On 30 December, AIFF announced the 26-member Indian squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which consisted of the Blasters' players; Pritam Kotal, Ishan Pandita, and Rahul K. P.[315][316]
On 31 December, the ISL named Pritam Kotal and Adrián Luna as two of the 'Best Players of the Year' in 2023, along with Dimitrios Diamantakos. who was named in the honorable mentions.[317]
2024[edit]
January[edit]
On 1 January 2024, the ISL named the Blasters' win against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on 27 December 2023 as one of the 'Best Moments of the Year' in 2023.[318]
On 9 January, the Blasters announced their squad for the 2024 Indian Super Cup.[319]
On 10 January, the Blasters announced the signing of the Lithuania national team captain Fedor Černych on the winter transfer-window till the end of the season.[320][321]
On 10 January, the Blasters played their first match of the Super Cup against Shillong Lajong FC, which they won 3–1.[322] The Blasters took an early lead through Peprah, who scored his first of the match in the 14th minute to give them an early lead. Peprah was soon to complete his brace as he chested in a lobbing ball from Prabir Das in the 26th minute, as the Blasters doubled their lead.[323] Just two minutes later, a tackle by the Blasters' goalkeeper Sachin Suresh on Karim Samb of Shillong resulted in the Blasters conceding a penalty, and Renan Paulino did no mistake and scored the only goal for Shillong Lajong in the match. The Blasters went in to the second-half with a single goal lead, and they further extended their lead through Aimen, who headed in a cross from Sakai to put the game to bed, as the Blasters won their first match of the tournament.[324]
On 12 January, the Blasters announced that their reserve team players: Ebindas Yesudas, Korou Singh, Marvan Hussain and Aritra Das have started their training with the senior team in the Super Cup camp in Odisha.[325]
On 15 January, the Blasters played their second match of the Super Cup against Jamshedpur FC, which they lost 2–3.[326] The Blasters took the lead in the 29th minute through Diamantakos's penalty, who netted the ball in the back of the net, from a foul on Sakai.[327] Jamshedpur would equalize through Daniel Chima Chukwu, who scored just minutes after the Blasters opened the scoresheet. Chukwu would complete his brace in the 57th minute to give Jamshedpur a lead, but the foul on Marko Lešković in the penalty-box in the 62nd minute helped Diamantakos to complete his brace, as the Blasters drew level after going one goal down, but the relief was short-lived as Jamshedpur found the net for the third time through Jérémy Manzorro, who scored a penalty in the 69th minute from a foul by Lešković, as the Blasters lost their first match of the tournament,[328] and was also knocked out of the tournament.[329]
On 20 January, the Blasters played their last match of the Super Cup against NorthEast United FC, which they lost 1–4.[330] Parthib Gogoi gave an early lead for NorthEast in the second minute, followed by a second-half goal by Mohammed Ali Bemammer who doubled the lead for the latter. Diamantakos scored his third goal of the tournament to pull one goal back for the Blasters in the 70th minute, but Redeem Tlang and the former Blaster Jithin M. S. would two more goals for the NorthEast,[331] as the Blasters suffered a painful 1–4 defeat in their last match of the tournament.[332] This match also witnessed Korou Singh make his senior-team debut for the Blasters.[333]
On 27 January, the Blasters released a statement on the injury sustained by their striker Kwame Peprah during the match against Jamshedpur in the Super Cup, which would rule him out for the rest of the season.[334][335]
On 29 January, the Blasters announced that they have recalled their Nigerian forward Justine Emmanuel from his loan spell at I-League club Gokulam Kerala FC after the long-term injury sustained by their Ghanaian striker Kwame Peprah.[336]
On 31 January, the Blasters announced the departure of the Indian foraward Bidyashagar Singh to Punjab FC,[337] and the loan departure of the Indian winger Bryce Miranda to Punjab for the rest of the season.[338]
On 31 January, the Blasters promoted the youngsters: Korou Singh and Aritra Das to the senior squad for the second-half of the league season.[339]
February[edit]
On 2 February, the Blasters played their thirteenth match of the season against Odisha FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 2–1.[340] Blasters took an early lead through Diamantakos, who scored his eighth league goal of the season in the 11th minute from Nihal Sudeesh's assist. The Blasters held on their lead up to the end of the first-half, but Roy Krishna of Odisha would complete a brace in the 54th and 58th minute, as the Blasters lost their third match of the season. This match was also the debut match for the Blasters' new signing, Fedor Černych.[341]
On 12 February, the Blasters played their fourteenth match of the season against Punjab FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 1–3.[342] The Blasters opened the scoresheet in the 39th minute through Drinčić, who scored a narrow goal off the crossbar to put the Blasters in the lead. Punjab were quick to react Wilmar Jordán levelled the match for Punjab just three minutes after the Blasters' goal. Jordán completed his brace in the 61st minute to take them ahead of the game, and a penalty goal by Luka Majcen in the 88th minute for Punjab led to the Blasters losing their first home game match of the season.[343]
On 16 February, the Blasters played their fifteenth match of the season against Chennaiyin FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 1–0.[344] After a goal-less first-half, a 60th-minute goal by Aakash Sangwan for the Chennaiyin led to the Blasters lose their fifth match of the season.[345]
On 20 February, the Blasters provided a statement on the shoulder injury sustained by their goalkeeper Sachin Suresh during the match against Chennaiyin, and ruled him out for a significant duration.[346][347]
On 25 February, the Blasters played their sixteenth match of the season against FC Goa in the returning fixture, which they won 4–2.[349] Goa drew the first blood when they scored an early goal in the match in the 7th minute through Rowllin Borges, and just ten minutes later, they would double their lead through Mohammad Yasir as Blasters went down by two goals by the end of the first-half.[350] Following a foul on Diamantakos in the 50th minute, the Blasters were awarded with a free-kick near the penalty box which was put into the net by Sakai in the 51st minute.[351] Sakai himself would pave the way for the equalizer for the Blasters, as his cross to find Černych made contact with Goa's Carl McHugh's hand in the penalty box in the 81st minute, and Diamantakos made no mistake and levelled the game for the Blasters. Diamantakos would complete his brace just three minute after the equalizer in the 84th minute, as he capitalized on a spilt ball by Goa's goalkeeper to put the Blasters ahead of the game.[352] An emphatic comeback was completed when the new signing Černych scored his debut goal in the 88th minute from Diamantakos's assist, as the Blasters scored three goals in the last ten minute to win their ninth match of the season, as well as to win their first match after five continuous defeats across cup and the league.[353]
March[edit]
On 2 March, the Blasters played their seventeenth match of the season against Bengaluru FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 1–0.[354] Neither side scored a goal in the first-half, but an 89th-minute goal by Javi Hernández for Bengaluru led the Blasters to lose their sixth match of the season.[355]
On 13 March, the Blasters played their eighteenth match of the season against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the returning fixture, which they lost 3–4.[356] Armando Sadiku gave Mohun Bagan an early one-goal lead through a 4th-minute goal, as the visitors held the upper-hand by the end of the first-half.[357] The Blasters drew level through Vibin Mohanan in the second-half, who scored his debut goal for the Blasters in the 54th minute of the game.[358] Just six minutes later, Sadiku completed his brace to restore Mohun Bagan's lead, but the Blasters were quick to react as Diamantakos scored his 12th goal of the season to level the match once again for the Blasters in the 63rd minute.[359] Deepak Tangri scored the third goal for Mohun Bagan just three minutes after Diamantakos levelled the match for the Blasters, and their lead was further doubled by an injury-time goal (90+7 minutes) by Jason Cummings. Blasters would score their final goal of the match through Diamantakos, who completed his brace just two minutes after Cummings' goal,[360] but the last kick of the match was not enough to save the Blasters, as they lost their seventh match of the season in a seven-goal thriller.[361]
On 30 March, the Blasters played their nineteenth match of the season against Jamshedpur FC in the returning fixture, which they drew 1–1.[362] In a deeply contested match, the Blasters opened the scoresheet in the 23rd minute, where their marksman Diamantakos capitalized on a deflected pass from Justine to give them a lead.[363] However, Jamshedpur would equalize in the 45th minute through Javier Siverio, and a goal-less second half following the Jamshedpur's equalizer led the match to end in a draw, resulting in a third draw of the season for the Blasters.[364]
April[edit]
On 2 April, following Punjab FC's defeat over Odisha FC, the Blasters qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in their history, as well as for the third consecutive time under Ivan Vukomanović.[365][366]
On 3 April, the Blasters announced that their goalkeeper Sachin Suresh has successfully undergone a surgery following his injury during the second match against Chennaiyin FC.[367]
On 3 April, the Blasters played their twentieth match of the season against East Bengal FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 2–4.[368] Černych put the Blasters in front with an open post goal in 23rd minute. Jeakson Singh, who was yellow carded 29th minute received a second yellow, and was sent-off in the 45th minute, and East Bengal would equalize on a penalty-kick which in the additional time of the first-half, which resulted of a Karanjit Singh's foul on the East Bengal, as the match remained in deadlock going into the second-half.[369] Later, Saúl Crespo would score his second of the night in the 71st minute to give the visitors the lead, and just three minutes later, the Blasters fell down to nine men as Naocha Singh was red carded for head-butting Aman CK.[370] East Bengal they would double their lead through Naorem Mahesh Singh in 82nd minute, as the Blasters fell down by two goals. Hijazi Maher of East Bengal would score an own-goal in 84th minute for the Blasters from a miss-clearance of Sandeep's cross,[371] Naorem Mahesh would complete his brace in the 87th minute to score the fourth goal for the visitors, as the Blasters lost their eighth match of the season. [372] This match also saw the youngster Aritra Das making his senior team debut for the Blasters.[373][374]
Following the match against East Bengal, Naocha Singh, who was red-carded after the head-butting incident was suspended for three match and was fined for Indian rupees 20,000 by the AIFF-DC.[375][376]
On 6 April, the Blasters played their twenty first match of the season against NorthEast United FC in the returning fixture, which they lost 2–0.[377] After a goal-less first-half, NorthEast United would score two late goals in 84th minute and during injury time through Néstor Albiach and Jithin M. S. respectively as the Blasters lost their tenth match of the season.[378]
On 12 April, the Blasters played their twenty second and their last regular season match against Hyderabad FC in the returning fixture, which they won 1–3.[379] The Blasters held the upper-hand in the G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium as Mohammed Aimen broke the deadlock in the 34th minute from a Saurav Mandal's cross to give the Blasters the lead. It was also the debut league goal for Aimen. The Blasters went into the second-half with a one-goal lead, and a goal from Daisuke Sakai, who scored from a low cross from Saurav himself, in the 51st minute doubled the lead for the Blasters.[380] It took the Blasters another thirty more minutes to triple their lead, as the substitute Nihal Sudeesh scored his debut goal for the club in the 81st minute from an Aimen's assist.[381] The Blasters could not keep a clean-sheet as João Victor scored the consolation goal for Hyderabad in the 88th minute, but the Blasters held their momentum till the final whistle and won their tenth match of the season, thus ending the regular season with a win.[382] The win against Hyderabad also meant that the Blasters would play Odisha FC in the knockout play-offs in the Kalinga Stadium.[383]
On 19 April, the Blasters played the knockout play-offs match against Odisha FC in the Kalinga Stadium, which they lost 2–1.[384] The Blasters held the upper hand in the first-half, but ended the half with a lot of uncapitalized chances.[385] It was not until 67th minute, when Fedor Černych opened the score-sheet and gave the lead for the Blasters from an assist from Aimen.However, the Blasters could not defend their lead, as Diego Maurício scored the equalizer for the home side in the 87th minute.[386] The match went into the extra-time, and Isak Vanlalruatfela scored the winner for the Odisha in the 98th minute,[387] as the Blasters exited the league, and ended their 2023–24 season without a trophy. This match also saw the return of their captain Luna following his injury in the first-half of the season.[388]
On 4 May, following the league's final match, Dimitrios Diamantakos won the league's Golden Boot after having scored thirteen goals across the season from seventeen matches. He thus became the first player in the club history to win a Golden Boot award.[389]
Players[edit]
- As of 2 February 2024[390]
First-team squad[edit]
Notes:
- Table below mentions the squad registered by the club for the 2023–24 Indian Super League season.
- Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
- Player* – Players who joined the club permanently or on loan during the season.
- Player† – Players who were not registered by the club for the 2023–24 season.
| No. | Name | Nat. | Pos. | Footedness | Date of Birth (Age) | Height | Last Club | Transfer Fee | Year | Till | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||||||||||
| 1 | Karanjit Singh | | GK | Right | 8 January 1986 | 1.86 m[391] (6 ft 1 in) | Chennaiyin FC | Free transfer | 2021 | 2024 | N/A |
| 23 | Lara Sharma* | | GK | Right | 1 October 1999 | 1.92 m[392] (6 ft 4 in) | Bengaluru FC | Loan transfer | 2023 | 2024 | N/A |
| 31 | Sachin Suresh | | GK | Right | 18 January 2001 | 1.83 m[393] (6 ft 0 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2021 | 2026 | N/A |
| 99 | Mohammed Arbaz | | GK | TBC | 20 January 2003 | TBC | Sreenidi Deccan FC | Free transfer | 2023 | TBC | Left out of the Durand Cup squad. |
| Defenders | |||||||||||
| 3 | Sandeep Singh | | RB/CB/LB | Right | 1 March 1995 | 1.79 m[394] (5 ft 10 in) | TRAU FC | Free transfer | 2020 | 2025 | N/A |
| 4 | Hormipam Ruivah | | CB | Right | 25 January 2001 | 1.83 m[395] (6 ft 0 in) | RoundGlass Punjab FC | Free transfer | 2021 | 2027 | N/A |
| 15 | Miloš Drinčić |  | CB/LB | Right | 14 February 1999 | 1.95 m[396] (6 ft 5 in) |  FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk | Free transfer | 2023 | 2024 | Signed after the Durand Cup squad was announced. |
| 20 | Pritam Kotal | | CB/RB | Right | 9 September 1993 | 1.80 m[397] (5 ft 11 in) | Mohun Bagan Super Giant | Swap deal [n1 1] | 2023 | 2026 | N/A |
| 27 | Aibanbha Dohling | | LB/CB | Right | 23 March 1996 | 1.76 m[399] (5 ft 91⁄2 in) | FC Goa | ₹1.45 crore[400] | 2023 | 2026 | Left out of Super Cup squad due to an injury. |
| 33 | Prabir Das | | RB | Right | 20 December 1993 | 1.72 m[401] (5 ft 8 in) | Bengaluru FC | Free transfer | 2023 | 2026 | N/A |
| 50 | Naocha Singh* | | LB | Left | 24 August 1999 | 1.68 m[402] (5 ft 6 in) | Mumbai City FC (on loan) | Loan transfer | 2023 | 2024 | N/A |
| 55 | Marko Lešković |  | CB | Right | 27 April 1991 | 1.88 m[403] (6 ft 2 in) | GNK Dinamo Zagreb | Free transfer | 2021 | 2024 | N/A |
| 66 | Aritra Das | | LB | Right | 27 May 2003 | Youth System | N/A | 2024 | TBC | Promoted from the reserve team during the Super Cup. | |
| Midfielders | |||||||||||
| 5 | Jeakson Singh | | CDM | Right | 21 June 2001 | 1.86 m[404] (6 ft 1 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2019 | 2025 | N/A |
| 6 | Freddy Lallawmawma | | CDM | Right | 27 July 2002 | 1.71 m[405] (5 ft 7 in) | Punjab FC | Undisclosed fee | 2023 | 2026 | Signed after the Durand Cup squad was announced. |
| 8 | Vibin Mohanan | | CM | Right | 6 February 2003 | 1.73 m[406] (5 ft 8 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2022 | 2024 | N/A |
| 10 | Adrián Luna (Captain) |  | AM/LW/CM/CF | Right | 12 March 1992 | 1.67 m[407] (5 ft 6 in) |  Melbourne City FC | Free transfer | 2021 | 2024 | Left out of Super Cup squad due to an injury. |
| 13 | Danish Farooq Bhat | | LM | Right | 9 May 1996 | 1.85 m[408] (6 ft 1 in) | Bengaluru FC | ₹25 lakhs[409] | 2023 | 2026 | N/A |
| 17 | Saurav Mandal | | RM/RW | Both | 6 November 2000 | 1.75 m[410] (5 ft 9 in) | Churchill Brothers FC Goa | Undisclosed fee | 2022 | 2025 | N/A |
| 22 | Yoihenba Meitei | | CM | Right | 7 February 2004 | 1.55 m[411] (5 ft 1 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2023 | 2024 | N/A |
| 25 | Korou Singh | | LM/LW | Right | 3 December 2006 | TBC | Youth System | N/A | 2024 | TBC | Promoted from the reserve team during the Super Cup. |
| 32 | Mohammed Azhar | | CM | Right | 20 January 2003 | 1.73 m[412] (5 ft 8 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2023 | 2026 | N/A |
| 77 | Nihal Sudeesh | | RW | Right | 18 June 2001 | 1.72 m[413] (5 ft 8 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2022 | 2026 | N/A |
| 81 | Bryce Miranda | | LW | Left | 23 September 1999 | 1.75 m[414] (5 ft 9 in) | Churchill Brothers FC Goa | Undisclosed fee | 2022 | 2026 | Left the club on loan during the winter transfer-window. |
| Forwards | |||||||||||
| 7 | Rahul K. P. | | RW/CF | Right | 16 March 2000 | 1.66 m[415] (5 ft 5 in) | Indian Arrows | Free transfer | 2019 | 2025 | N/A |
| 9 | Dimitrios Diamantakos |  | ST | Left | 5 March 1993 | 1.82 m[416] (6 ft 0 in) | HNK Hajduk Split | Free transfer | 2022 | 2024 | N/A |
| 14 | Kwame Peprah |  | ST | Left | 16 December 2000 | 1.83 m[417] (6 ft 0 in) |  Hapoel Hadera F.C. | Free transfer | 2023 | 2025 | Signed after the Durand Cup squad was announced. |
| 19 | Mohammed Aimen | | CF/LW | Right | 20 January 2003 | 1.73 m[418] (5 ft 8 in) | Youth System | N/A | 2023 | 2026 | N/A |
| 21 | Daisuke Sakai | | RW/LW/AM | Right | 18 January 1997 | 1.67 m[419] (5 ft 6 in) |  Customs United F.C. | Free transfer | 2023 | 2024 | Signed after the Durand Cup squad was announced. |
| 26 | Ishan Pandita | | CF | Right | 26 May 1998 | 1.83 m[420] (6 ft 0 in) | Jamshedpur FC | Free transfer | 2023 | 2025 | N/A |
| 30 | Bidyashagar Singh | | CF | Right | 11 March 1998 | 1.73 m[421] (5 ft 8 in) | Bengaluru FC | Free transfer | 2022 | 2024 | Left the club during the winter transfer-window. |
| 91 | Fedor Černych |  | RW/LW/SS | Both | 21 May 1991 | 1.83 m[422] (6 ft 0 in) |  AEL Limassol | Free transfer | 2024 | 2024 | Signed after the Super Cup squad was announced. |
| 24 | Justine Emmanuel |  | RW | Right | 13 April 2003 | 1.73 m[423] (5 ft 8 in) | None | N/A | 2023 | 2024 | Named in the Durand Cup squad; later loaned out to Gokulam Kerala FC, before getting recalled midway the league season. |
| Unregistered Players | |||||||||||
| 11 | Jaushua Sotirio | | RW/LW/CF | Right | 11 October 1995 | 1.75 m[424] (5 ft 9 in) | Newcastle Jets FC | Undisclosed fee | 2023 | 2025 | Left out of season due to an injury. |
- Note:
- ^ Swap deal with Mohun Bagan SG for Sahal Abdul Samad.[398]
| Position | Number of players | Average age | Average height | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home grown | Non-home grown | Senior | Reserves | Left-footed | Right-footed | Total | ||||||
| Goalkeepers | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 27 years, 13 days | 1.87 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||
| Defenders | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 27 years, 201 days | 1.80 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||
| Midfielders | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 23 years, 137 days | 1.75 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||
| Attackers | 3 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2+1 | 7+1 | 10 | 25 years, 167 days | 1.75 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||
| All | 7 | 27 | 25 | 9 | 34 | 32 | 25 years, 144 days [425] | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||
Squad number changes[edit]
Notes:
- Players and squad numbers last updated on 2 February 2024.[426]
- The list is sorted by new squad number.
- Player* – Player who joined Kerala Blasters permanently or on loan during the season.
- Player† – Player who departed Kerala Blasters permanently or on loan during the season
| Player | Position(s) | Prev. No. | New No. | Prev. Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lara Sharma* | GK | — | 23 |  Víctor Mongil | Mongil departed the club |
| Mohammed Arbaz | GK | — | 99 | Apostolos Giannou | Giannou departed the club |
| Pritam Kotal | CB/RB | — | 20 | Adrián Luna | Luna took the number 10 shirt |
| Aibanbha Dohling | LB/CB | — | 27 | Saurav Mandal | Saurav took the number 17 shirt |
| Prabir Das | RB | — | 33 | Vibin Mohanan | Vibin took the number 8 shirt |
| Jeakson Singh | CDM | 25 | 5 | Tejas Krishna S | Tejas departed the club |
| Freddy Lallawmawma | CDM | — | 6 | Danish Farooq Bhat | Danish took the number 13 shirt |
| Vibin Mohanan | CM | 33 | 8 | Ayush Adhikari | Adhikari departed the club |
| Adrián Luna | AM/LW/CM/CF | 20 | 10 | Harmanjot Singh Khabra | Khabra departed the club |
| Danish Farooq Bhat | LM | 6 | 13 | Prabhsukhan Singh Gill | Gill departed the club |
| Saurav Mandal | RM/RW | 27 | 17 | Rahul K. P. | Rahul took the number 7 shirt |
| Yoihenba Meitei | CM | — | 22 | Nishu Kumar† | Nishu departed the club on loan |
| Nihal Sudeesh | RW | 28 | 77 |  Ivan Kalyuzhnyi | Ivan departed the club after loan term |
| Rahul K. P. | RW/CF | 17 | 7 | Puitea | Puitea departed the club |
| Kwame Peprah | ST | — | 14 | Jessel Carneiro | Carneiro departed the club |
| Daisuke Sakai | RW/LW/AM | — | 21 | Bijoy Varghese† | Bijoy departed the club on loan |
| Ishan Pandita | CF | — | 26 | Abdul Hakku Nediyodath | Hakku departed the club |
| Jaushua Sotirio | RW/LW/CF | — | 11 | Givson Singh† | Givson departed the club on loan |
| Fedor Černych | RW/LW/SS | — | 91 | None | No played opted for number 91 prior to Černych |
| Artira Das | LB | — | 66 | Peter Carvalho | Carvalho departed the club |
| Korou Singh | LM/LW | — | 25 | Jeakson Singh | Jeakson took the number 5 shirt |
| Justine Emmanuel | RW | 14 | 24 | Prasanth Karuthadathkuni | Justine used number 14 during the Durand Cup, and then opted for number 24 after getting recalled from loan during the winter transfer-window |
Transfers[edit]
Transfers In[edit]
| Date | Player | No. | Position(s) | Last Club | Contract Length | Transfer window | Fee | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2023 | Jaushua Sotirio | 11 | RW/LW/CF | Newcastle Jets FC | 2 years | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee | [427] |
| 1 June 2023 | Prabir Das | 20 | RB | Bengaluru FC | 3 years | Pre-season | Free transfer | [428] |
| 26 June 2023 | Sagolsem Bikash Singh | – | LW | TRAU FC | 2 years + Option to extend | Pre-season | Free transfer | [149] |
| 1 July 2023 | Mohammed Arbaz | 99 | GK | Sreenidi Deccan FC | TBC | Pre-season | Free transfer | [429] |
| 13 July 2023 | Naocha Singh | 50 | LB | Mumbai City FC | 1 year (till the end of the season) | Pre-season | Loan transfer | [430] |
| 14 July 2023 | Pritam Kotal | 20 | CB/RB | Mohun Bagan Super Giant | 3 years | Pre-season | Swap deal with Sahal Abdul Samad | [431] |
| 1 August 2023 | Lara Sharma | 23 | GK | Bengaluru FC | 1 year (till the end of the season) | Pre-season | Loan transfer | [432] |
| 10 August 2023 | Ishan Pandita | 26 | CF | Jamshedpur FC | 2 years + 1 year | Pre-season | Free transfer | [180] |
| 14 August 2023 | Miloš Drinčić | 15 | CB/LB | FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 1 year | Pre-season | Free transfer | [433] |
| 20 August 2023 | Kwame Peprah | 14 | ST | Hapoel Hadera F.C. | 2 years | Pre-season | Free transfer | [434] |
| 29 August 2023 | Aibanbha Dohling | 27 | LB/CB | FC Goa | 3 years + 1 year | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee | [435] |
| 31 August 2023 | Freddy Lallawmawma | 6 | CDM | Punjab FC | 3 years | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee | [436] |
| 2 September 2023 | Daisuke Sakai | 21 | RW/LW/AM | Customs United F.C. | 1 year | Pre-season | Free transfer | [437] |
| 10 January 2024 | Fedor Černych | 91 | RW/LW/CF | AEL Limassol | 6 months | Winter transfer | Free transfer | [438] |
Loan Returns[edit]
| Player | No. | Position | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denechandra Meitei | 19 | LB | Odisha FC |
| Givson Singh | 11 | CM | Chennaiyin FC |
| Justine Emmanuel | 24 | RW | Gokulam Kerala FC |
Promoted from Reserves[edit]
| No. | Name | Nationality | Position(s) | Date of Birth (Age) | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Yoihenba Meitei | | CM | 7 February 2004 | [178] |
| 31 | Sachin Suresh | | GK | 18 January 2001 | |
| 66 | Aritra Das | | LB | 27 May 2003 | [339] |
| 25 | Korou Singh | | LM/LW | 3 December 2006 |
Contract Extensions[edit]
| No. | Position(s) | Player | Contract Till | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | ST | Dimitrios Diamantakos | 2024 | [439] |
| 2 | CB | Muhammad Saheef | 2026 | [440] |
| 32 | CM | Mohammed Azhar | 2026 | |
| 19 | CF/LW | Mohammed Aimen | 2026 | |
| 28 | RW | Nihal Sudeesh | 2026 | [441] |
| 4 | CB | Hormipam Ruivah | 2027 | [131] |
| 1 | GK | Karanjit Singh | 2024 | [143] |
| 31 | GK | Sachin Suresh | 2026 | [442] |
Loan Outs[edit]
| No. | Position(s) | Player | To | Transfer window | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | RB/LB | Nishu Kumar | East Bengal Club | Pre-season | [443] |
| – | LW | Sagolsem Bikash Singh | Mohammedan SC | Pre-season | [149] |
| – | LW | Muhammad Ajsal | Inter Kashi FC | Pre-season | [444] |
| 21 | CB | Bijoy Varghese | Inter Kashi FC | Pre-season | [213] |
| 11 | CM | Givson Singh | Odisha FC | Pre-season | |
| 14 | RW | Justine Emmanuel | Gokulam Kerala FC | Pre-season | |
| 2 | LB | Muhammad Saheef | Gokulam Kerala FC | Pre-season | |
| 81 | LW | Bryce Miranda | Punjab FC | Winter transfer | [337] |
Transfers Out[edit]
| Exit Date | Player | No. | Position(s) | To | Transfer window | Fee | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 May 2023 | Jessel Carneiro | 14 | LB | Bengaluru FC | Pre-season | Free transfer | [132] |
| 31 May 2023 | Víctor Mongil | 23 | CB/CDM | TBC | Pre-season | Contract expired | [133] |
| 31 May 2023 | Apostolos Giannou | 99 | ST | TBC | Pre-season | Contract expired | |
| 31 May 2023 | Ivan Kalyuzhnyi | 77 | CM | FC Oleksandriya | Pre-season | End of loan term | |
| 31 May 2023 | Harmanjot Khabra | 10 | RB/CM | East Bengal Club | Pre-season | Free transfer | |
| 31 May 2023 | Muheet Shabir | 78 | GK | Real Kashmir FC | Pre-season | Contract expired | |
| 13 June 2023 | Denechandra Meitei | 19 | LB | TBC | Pre-season | Contract termination | [140] |
| 12 July 2023 | Prabhsukhan Gill | 13 | GK | East Bengal Club | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee | [445] |
| 14 July 2023 | Sahal Abdul Samad | 18 | CM/AM | Mohun Bagan Super Giant | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee + Pritam Kotal | [446] |
| 20 July 2023 | Ayush Adhikari | 8 | CM | Chennaiyin FC | Pre-season | Undisclosed fee | [447] |
| 31 January 2024 | Bidyashagar Singh | 30 | CF | Punjab FC | Winter transfer | Free transfer | [448] |
Transfer summary[edit]
Note:
- This list is based on some of the transfer fee's as reported by the media.
- This list may not involve every transfer fee's involved in the Blasters' transfer window.
| Expenditure Summer: ₹1,45,00,000 Winter: ₹0 Total expenditure: ₹1,45,00,000
| Income Summer: ₹2,60,00,000 Winter: ₹0 Total income: ₹2,60,00,000
| Net Total Summer: Winter: Total: |
Management[edit]
- As of 11 July 2023
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| Role | Nationality | Name | Year Appointed | Previous Club | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach/Manager | Serbia | Ivan Vukomanović | 2021 | Apollon Limassol FC (as interim coach) | [449] |
| Assistant Coach |  Belgium | Frank Dauwen | 2022 | K Beerschot VA (as assistant coach) | [450] |
| India | T. G. Purushothaman | 2023 | Kerala Blasters U18 (as manager) | [153] | |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Belgium | Werner Martens | 2021 |  AS Trenčín (as assistant coach) | [451] |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Serbia | Slaven Progovecki | 2021 | Red Star Belgrade U19 (as goalkeeping coach) | [452] |
Pre-season and friendlies[edit]
The Blasters did not announce their pre-season friendly schedule prior to the matchday but they announced on 28 July 2023 that they would be playing against the football team of Maharajas College from Ernakulam.[453] Their friendly match against Kovalam FC was not formally announced by the Blasters but the score-line was published by the latter at the end of the full-time.[454] On 16 August, in the midst of the 2023 Durand Cup tournament, the Blasters announced that they would be travelling to United Arab Emirates between 5 September to 16 September for their pre-season preparations,[189] and announced their fixtures in the UAE tour against the UAE Pro League clubs Al Wasl F.C., Sharjah FC, and also against their reigning league champions Shabab Al Ahli Club.[455] After the club's elimination from the 2023 Durand Cup, the Blasters announced that they would playing a friendly match against the newly promoted ISL side Punjab FC on 27 August, ahead of their UAE tour.[205] During the UAE tour, the Blasters were originally scheduled to play Shabab Al Ahli on 15 September in their last pre-season friendly match ahead of the ISL season, but they pulled-out of the friendly as a result of their change in the schedule in the UAE Pro League, and as a result, the Blasters replaced Shabab Al Ahli with the UAE's second tier club Al Jazirah Al Hamra Club, against whom they played the game on the scheduled date.[233]
| 28 July 2023 1 | Kerala Blasters | 8–0 | Maharaja's College | Kadavanthra, Kochi, Kerala |
| 16:00 IST |
| Report | Stadium: Panampilly Nagar Ground Attendance: Null Referee: TBC Man of the Match: Null |
| 8 August 2023 2 | Kerala Blasters | 5–0 | Kovalam | Kadavanthra, Kochi, Kerala |
| 16:00 IST | Report | Stadium: Panampilly Nagar Ground Attendance: Null Referee: TBC Man of the Match: Null | ||
| Note: According to Kovalam FC's Twitter handle, the match was played for 120 minutes with the Blasters scoring only 2 goals in the regular 90 minutes.[456] | ||||
| 27 August 2023 3 | Kerala Blasters | 2–3 | Punjab | New Town, Kolkata |
| 15:30 IST |
| Report |
| Stadium: AIFF National Center of Excellence Attendance: Null Referee: TBC Man of the Match: Null |
| 9 September 2023 4 | Kerala Blasters | 0–6 | Al Wasl | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| 20:30 IST 19:00 GST | Report | Stadium: Zabeel Stadium Attendance: TBC Referee: TBD Man of the Match: Null |
| 12 September 2023 5 | Kerala Blasters | 2–1 | Sharjah | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates |
| 20:30 IST 19:00 GST | Report |
| Stadium: Sharjah Stadium Attendance: Closed doors Referee: TBC Man of the Match: Null |
| 15 September 2023 6 | Kerala Blasters | 2–0 | Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| 19:15 IST 17:45 GST |
| Report | Stadium: Rashid Stadium Attendance: Closed doors Referee: TBC Man of the Match: Null | |
| Note: The Blasters were originally scheduled to play the UAE's first tier club Shabab Al Ahli Club on 15 September, but they pulled-out of the friendly as a result of their change in schedule in the UAE Pro League.[233] | ||||
Competitions[edit]
Overview[edit]
Win Draw Loss
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Durand Cup | 13 August 2023 | 21 August 2023 | Group stage | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 33.33 |
| Super Cup | 10 January 2024 | 20 January 2024 | Group stage | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 33.33 |
| Super League | 21 September 2023 | 12 April 2024 | Matchday 1 | 5th | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 32 | 31 | +1 | 45.45 |
| Super League Playoffs | 19 April 2024 | 19 April 2024 | Knockout play-offs | Knockout play-offs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| Total | 29 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 41.38 | ||||
Last updated: 1 May 2024.
Source: Soccerway
Durand Cup[edit]
Kerala Blasters were drawn in the Group C for the 132nd edition of the Durand Cup alongside their arch-rivals Bengaluru FC.[457]
Group stage[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | GOK | BEN | KER | IAF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gokulam Kerala | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | Qualify for the knockout stage | — | — | — | 2–0 | |
| 2 | Bengaluru | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | 2–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | Kerala Blasters | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 4 | 3–4 | — | — | 5–0 | ||
| 4 | Indian Air Force | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Matches[edit]
Durand Cup fixtures were announced in early July 2023 with the Blasters facing Gokulam Kerala, a club from their own state, and their rivals Bengaluru and the Indian Air Force team respectively.[458][459]
| 13 August 2023 1 | Kerala Blasters | 3–4 | Gokulam Kerala | Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal |
| 14:00 IST | Report |
| Stadium: Mohun Bagan Ground Attendance: 397 Referee: Rahul Gupta Man of the Match: Nili Perdomo (Gokulam Kerala) |
| 18 August 2023 2 | Bengaluru | 2–2 | Kerala Blasters | Santoshpur, Kolkata. West Bengal |
| 18.00 IST |
| Report | Stadium: Kishore Bharati Krirangan Attendance: 412 Referee: Ramachandran Venkatesh Man of the Match: Bekey Oram (Bengaluru FC) |
| 21 August 2023 3 | Kerala Blasters | 5–0 | Indian Air Force | Maidan, Kolkata, West Bengal |
| 15.00 IST |
|
|