Melbourne Victory coach Tony Popovic has promised his A-League-leading team will show a battling and depleted Sydney FC no mercy in Tuesday night’s latest instalment of the “Big Blue” at AAMI Park.
The match will be the Victory’s first in 17 days after Covid-19 swept through the club.
In contrast, the Sydneysiders are set to play their fifth game in less than two weeks.
In that time they have been knocked out of the FFA Cup by the Central Coast Mariners and beaten 2-0 at home by the struggling Perth Glory.
They remain without injured attacking pair Adam Le Fondre and Kosta Barbarouses and have now lost goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne and fullbacks Rhyan Grant and Joel King to Socceroos duty.
However, Popovic is wary of a Sydney ambush.
“We know we have to play well. They’re a big club and even if they’ve lost a few games recently, you’ll know they’ll bring their best game to Melbourne,” the Victory coach said.
“Anything less than 100 per cent focus and commitment from us will not be enough, regardless of who’s in or out for them.
“It’s the approach we have to take … we have to bring a mentality and intensity that a big game brings about.
“They’re a big club, Sydney FC; there’s a big history between the two clubs and I look forward to experiencing that for the first time as a coach of Melbourne Victory.”
Popovic said Sydney FC was an ideal opponent for the Victory in their return match.
“We’ve got to now regroup after a bit of a break,” he said.
“When you’ve got a game against Sydney FC, it should be xjmtzyweasy motivation for the players.
“They look happy and they look ready to play, and we want to put on a really good performance, and if we can do that, I think we can get the three points.”
Despite the Victory sitting on top of the ladder, Popovic said it was too early in what had been a stop-start season to make championship predictions.
“There’s still a lot of football to be played. For us it’s a game at a time. We’ve had a good, solid start and we want to continue that (against Sydney),” he said.
Sydney coach Steve Corica admits his seventh-placed team will find it hard to beat the Victory.
“It’s going too be very tough to go to Melbourne and win, but we will put out the best side available,” Corica said.
“We’ve created more chances than other teams that we’ve played; we’ve dominated most games.
“It’s the final third stuff that’s lacking and that’s costing us at the moment.”
