City attacker to remain available amid racism probe
Melbourne City attacker Medin Memeti will remain available for selection as Football Australia investigates allegations of a racial epithet towards Brisbane Roar attacker Justin Vidić.
Melbourne City attacker Medin Memeti will remain available for selection as Football Australia investigates an allegation that the teenager used a racial epithet towards Brisbane Roar attacker Justin Vidić.
AAP reported on Thursday that Memeti was expected to be investigated by the federation following an allegation that he had called Vidić a “gypsy”.
With tempers on both sides flaring after City’s spiteful 1-0 win over the Roar on Tuesday, the two were captured on camera angrily remonstrating before City coach Aurelio Vidmar’s post-game television interview, with Memeti subsequently telling Paramount that the Roar striker was “a bit cut ‘cause he lost”.
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If the allegations are substantiated by Football Australia’s disciplinary and ethics committee, the 18-year-old is likely to face a lengthy suspension.
In 2017, a precedent was set when then-City keeper Dean Bouzanis, who was in goal for the Roar on Tuesday, was suspended for five games after being found to have directed the term, which carries derogatory connotations in the Balkans, at Kosovan Melbourne Victory striker Besart Beserisha.
Speaking ahead of City’s meeting with Newcastle on Sunday, Vidmar declined to comment on the allegations, stating that the “process is with the FA”. The coach also said he was unaware of what was happening between the pair during his interview and stated that he hadn’t spoken with the teenager about the incident.
He did confirm, however, that Memeti, who has made ten appearances across all competitions with City this season and netted against Johor Darul Ta’zim in the Asian Champions League Elite, would remain available for selection while Football Australia’s investigation was underway.
After snapping a four-game winless run against Brisbane, City is also expected to welcome back Samuel Souprayen when the Jets visit AAMI Park after the veteran defender was managed against the Roar. After making their season debuts against Brisbane after recovering from long-term injuries, Lawrence Wong and Alessandro Lopane have both pulled up well, while Peter Antoniou and Ben Mazzeo have resumed training.
Elbasan Rashani, however, remains out with a hamstring issue, while Mat Leckie continues to progress well with his recovery from surgery, but “is still some time away”.
It was just over a month ago that City and Newcastle last locked horns, the defending champions eking out a 1-0 win in the Hunter, but Mark Milligan’s side has found its range since then: scoring 12 goals in their subsequent four games and claiming the scalps of league leaders Sydney FC and Auckland.
Scoring a league-leading 23 goals this season, the defeat to City represents just one of two occasions in which the Jets have failed to find the net this season. And even with the news of devastating season-long injuries to Alex Badolato and Christian Bracco, the duo joining Oscar Fryer in suffering ACL tears in the Hunter this season, Vidmar is conscious of the attacking threat the Novocastrians bring.
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“I think Mills is doing a really good job with them,” said Vidmar. “They’re a youngish group, really energetic, very mobile.
“In my opinion, I think they’re the best attacking team in the competition. Very dangerous going forward. And [Milligan has] got guys really playing out of their skin, so he’s doing a great job.”
For every goal the Jets have scored this season, though, they’ve also shipped one up the other end. Quite literally, in fact: their league-leading 23 goals matched by a league-leading 23 goals conceded.
The underlying stats suggest this isn’t an aberration, with the all-or-nothing side producing 23.5 expected goals (xG) across the season’s opening months while allowing 22.9 xG against.
“They probably won’t be happy conceding just as many goals,” said Vidmar. “In our last game we played against them, we had quite a few decent transition moments where it was very, very open and we didn’t capitalise. So we definitely need to be better.”
Header Image: Paramount