New-look Bangladesh ready for Bhutan

Although today's fixture between Bangladesh and Bhutan is officially a FIFA friendly, it carries significant weight. It marks the long-awaited return of international football to the National Stadium (NS) and serves as vital preparation ahead of the high-stakes match against Singapore on June 10.

Excitement for the Singapore fixture is building at an exponential rate. Fans are eager to witness Hamza Choudhury play on home soil for the first time, alongside the debuts of fellow expats Fahamedul Islam and Shamit Shome. However, the latter is most likely to be rested today since he is set to land in the capital on matchday.

Adding to the buzz is the unveiling of the newly renovated National Stadium -- formerly known as Bangabandhu National Stadium, and long considered the home of the sport in Bangladesh -- refurbished at a cost of Tk 158 crore. The venue will host its first international fixture in over four years. The last was a pair of FIFA friendlies against Nepal in November 2020.

At the Bangladesh–Bhutan pre-match press conference held yesterday at the BFF House, the growing hype was evident. Sports journalists, social media content creators, and YouTubers crowded the space, with some even sitting on the floor to cover the briefing.

Aiming for a victory, head coach Javier Cabrera also sees the match as a chance to assess his players, test combinations, and fine-tune tactics for the upcoming Singapore game.

"Matches against Bhutan and Singapore are going to be interesting challenges. We believe playing against Bhutan will be perfect preparation for the Singapore match," Cabrera said during the press conference, adding Hamza is available and Fahamedul will be given game time.

The Spaniard acknowledged the energy and anticipation surrounding the Singapore fixture. "Well, it's extremely exciting and the huge expectation is good… we want to fulfill the expectations of fans," Cabrera said.

Last September, Bangladesh played two matches in Bhutan, winning one and losing the other, but captain Jamal Bhuiyan believes circumstances have improved.

"Compared to the last matches we played against Bhutan, the situation is now different because that time we went to play against Bhutan on the back of only two to three months of domestic competition. But this time… everyone is match fit," Jamal opined.

Bhutan head coach Atsushi Nakamura remains hopeful despite having termed Bangladesh as the best team in South Asia, possessing a player of Hamza's calibre with experience of playing in top-tier English leagues.

"Our players are going to get a good experience playing against him (Hamza)," said Nakamura, noting that Bhutan face the challenge of playing in Bangladesh's heat and humidity, in contrast to the high-altitude advantage they enjoyed back in September.