The third and final Melbourne Derby of the season awaits on Saturday night, with City returning to AAMI Park for another blockbuster clash against Melbourne Victory.
No strangers to tight turnarounds throughout this campaign, Aurelio Vidmar’s side will again be back in action at home after midweek continental commitments, quickly shifting focus from Asia back to the Isuzu UTE A-League.
With less than ten games remaining in the regular season, every point is magnified, and there’s no bigger stage than a Derby under lights. Don’t miss Saturday night’s blockbuster – click here to get your tickets!
Here are the key talking points heading into Saturday night:
Back to league duties
After back-to-back fixtures in the AFC Champions League Elite, City now return to domestic action for the first time in a fortnight.
A dramatic 2-1 win away to Ulsan HD last week sealed our qualification to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time in Club history, a result that showcased both resilience and maturity in a high-pressure environment.
Wednesday night’s final League Stage fixture against Gangwon may not have delivered the same late fireworks, ending in a scoreless draw, but there were still encouraging signs – particularly in a sharp and controlled first-half performance.
Now unbeaten in four matches across all competitions, City have built a steady platform of momentum. That run has featured three draws and one win, underlining defensive solidity, but with the Finals race tightening, turning those stalemates into three-point hauls will be the clear objective. As the season enters its decisive stretch, Saturday night presents a chance to reassert ourselves in the league.
Fresh and ready
With qualification to the Round of 16 already secured prior to Wednesday’s clash, Vidmar had the luxury of managing minutes midweek.
Harrison Delbridge, Marcus Younis and Nathaniel Atkinson were all unused substitutes, meaning they should enter the Derby fresh and ready should they be called upon. Their availability only strengthens a squad that has shown impressive depth throughout a demanding schedule spanning domestic and continental competition.
Vidmar has also been buoyed in recent weeks by the versatility within his group. Players such as Emin Durakovic, Zane Schreiber and Daniel Arzani offer flexibility across midfield and attacking areas, giving the coaching staff multiple tactical options depending on how they wish to approach the contest.
While the final starting XI won’t be confirmed until an hour before kick-off, there is little doubt City will take confidence from both the squad’s depth and its growing cohesion.
The decider
More than eight months on from our 2025 Grand Final triumph over Victory, the rivalry remains as fierce as ever.
The two sides have already split the spoils this season. Goals to Max Caputo and Peter Antoniou secured a memorable 2-0 Derby win earlier in the campaign, before a late strike in the pre-Christmas meeting handed Victory the points in the reverse fixture.
With one win apiece in 2025/26, Saturday night shapes as the decider.
The all-time head-to-head could scarcely be tighter, with 17 City wins, 16 draws and 18 Victory wins. The ladder context only heightens the stakes too.
Victory currently sits sixth, two points clear of City, meaning a win would see us leapfrog our rivals into the top six. Conversely, defeat would tighten the squeeze in an already congested Finals race.
With bragging rights, ladder positioning and momentum all on the line, the stage is set for another memorable chapter in the Melbourne Derby.
Fixture Details
Isuzu UTE A-League – Round 18
Melbourne City FC v Melbourne Victory
Saturday 21 February, 7:35pm KO
AAMI Park
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