"You can see it in their eyes" - Victory, Popovic, crackling with anticipation over derby elimination final
Just the second-ever Melbourne Derby in A-League Men finals looms on Sunday, with the crackling levels of anticipation evident to Melbourne Victory boss Tony Popovic on the training track.
Elimination finals are huge games. Melbourne Derbies are huge games. Combine the two and you get something gigantic, something that Melbourne Victory A-League Men boss Tony Popovic can see the importance of in the eyes of his playing group.
For just the second time in the 14-year history of the rivalry, the two shades of blue that divide Melbourne will clash in finals football on Sunday, third-placed Victory serving as the nominal ‘hosts’ against sixth-placed City at AAMI Park.
The only other meeting with these kinds of stakes attached to them occurred in 2015, when 50,873 fans packed into Marvel Stadium to watch Besart Berisha, Kosta Barbarouses, and Archie Thompson fire Kevin Muscat’s dominant side into a grand final. Nine days later, in what was probably the high-water mark for Victory as a club, they defeated Sydney 3-0 in the grand final
Winless in their last three games, it wouldn’t be unfair to declare that Popovic’s side is somewhat stumbling into finals, surrendering a lead and falling to a 4-3 defeat against Western Sydney in their final game of the regular season.
Their last win, however, came in rather convincing fashion against City, where the 2-1 scoreline belied the number of chances Victory had to put the game out of sight. And while it is a cliche that form guides go out the window in finals football, it can’t be argued that players, fans, and coaches — heck everyone — don’t lift for these kinds of games.
"You feel the difference,” Popovic said. “Last week's training, they trained well leading into the game, there was a lot of emotion with Broxy and a few other things that we were preparing for that week. But this week is certainly different. You can see it in their eyes, you can see it in the training.
“It's a game they can't wait to play in and to be a part of. There's healthy competition for places. The whole squad is excited. Everyone's played a part in getting us to this point where we finished third in the league. There's a big match coming up and we're expecting a big crowd and a lot of support and together with our fans, we want to get through this game.”
Of course, even with the natural lift that comes with playing these games, you’d rather be adding that to a baseline of momentum than not. And City has the edge on this front. Aurelio Vidmar’s side effectively needed to win their last three games of the regular season to play finals football and, for the first time all season, they did.
Forced into a position wherein anything less than a win over Western United would have seen a decade-long streak of finals football ended last week, Jamie Maclaren’s 19th-minute strike propelled City to a vital three points – something that didn’t surprise their opposing coach this weekend.
“It's not surprising for most people who know the game and know the quality that Melbourne City has,” he said. “They've played three final type games where they're needed to win and they have individuals that can play big games, that have played big games and know how to deal with those moments.
“We know what we're up against. We've played them three times this year. Every game has been close and tight. Full of passion and full of excitement. We know this will be no different.
“The volume gets turned up a little bit more in this game, both on and off the field I'm sure, with the fans. We respect them and know they have some fantastic players but so do we and we'll be ready for the game.
“We have to build on what we've shown so far in the three games. You have to bring your all-round game and you have to probably improve on it and dial it up. It's finals.
“Whatever intensity we've had so far in the games, I'm sure it will be higher. I'm sure the speed of the game will be higher. You know, we want to play our part in being able to handle all those moments and make sure the details fall on our side.”
In contrast to City, who will still be without Marco Tilio and Andrew Nabbout for Sunday’s fixture and will likely continue to start Steven Ugarkovic at right back – Scott Galloway and Callum Talbot both available but continuity being prioritised coming into finals – Victory will have a full squad to chose from.
After successfully reducing his two-game ban to one on appeal, Jason Geria will start at right back for Popovic, while Olyroo returnees Ryan Teague, Nishan Velupillay, and Jordi Valadon are all ready to start and go a full 120 minutes plus penalties if needed.
Lining up in the centre of defence will be Damien Da Silva, who earlier this week scooped his second Victory Medal as the club’s men’s best and fairest despite only arriving in Melbourne in February of last year.
"In some ways, [he has exceeded expectations],” said Popovic. “But we saw from the first moment that he arrived [that he was going to be a difference-maker].
“He came from a very cold winter in France, he was here for a couple of days and we had a trip to Newcastle where we played in the heat. It was a really hot day. We asked him about how he felt, from the jetlag and the cold weather to the heat. And he just put his hand up and said ‘I'm ready to play. If you want me to coach, I'm ready.’
“From that moment, we knew immediately what type of person professional and what type of mentality this player has. You're playing in minus negative temperatures, conditions like that, and then you go off up play 30 degrees in Newcastle. He had a very good game, obviously fatigued but showed the quality has on the field.
“The leadership he showed that week gave us a lot of confidence that we have a real player on and off the park and he's shown that ever since.”