The 2024/25 A-League Men’s season is finally here!
It’s a been a long wait over the off-season but City football is finally back on the horizon as kick things off away from home this Saturday.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the new season!
HOW WE START
Our season begins on the road as we make the trip to the Hunter to face Newcastle in a Saturday 5pm kick off.
Home openers don’t get much as we make our return to AAMI Park a week later on the big stage of the Melbourne Derby.
DON’T MISS OUR MELBOURNE DERBY HOME OPENER! Click here to get your tickets.
Although technically an away fixture, we’ll be back at AAMI 10 days later to face Western United on Melbourne Cup eve.
A trip west to face Perth comes next in what will be our final fixture before the first international break of the season.
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES
- Western United 2-0 City
- City 3-1 Auckland FC
- Goals: Nabbout, Memeti, Talbot.
- City 1-1 Western United
- Goal: Jeggo.
- Adelaide 1-0 City
It was a mixed bag of results in terms of pre-season friendlies, but as we’ve seen in seasons past – notably 2022/23 where we lost four of five against A-League opposition only to go on and win the Premiers Plate – you can’t read too far into those scorelines.
A 3-1 win over Auckland FC was our best performance with goals coming from Andrew Nabbout, Medin Memeti and Callum Talbot – Marco Tilio putting in an impressive shift, assisting two of those goals.
Jimmy Jeggo was the sole City player on the scoresheet at City Football Academy in a 1-1 draw against Western United, a week before a late Adelaide goal saw the Reds take the win in our final pre-season hitout.
OUR SQUAD
There are plenty of familiar faces returning for another season in City blue, while we’ve also welcomed some exciting new talent to the Club over the off-season.
Here’s who you’ll be seeing in action at AAMI Park this season:
GOALKEEPERS: 1. Jamie YOUNG, 33. Patrick BEACH, 40. James NIEUWENHUIZEN.
DEFENDERS: 2. Callum TALBOT, 13. Nathaniel ATKINSON, 16. Aziz BEHICH (C), 22. Germán FERREYRA, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 27. Kai TREWIN, 34. Jayden NECOVSKI, 36. Harry SHILLINGTON, 37. Peter ANTONIOU, 38. Harry POLITIDIS.
MIDFIELDERS: 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 8. James JEGGO, 19. Zane SCHREIBER, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 30. Andreas KUEN, 39. Emin DURAKOVIC, 41. Lawrence WONG.
FORWARDS: 7. Mathew LECKIE, 10. Yonatan COHEN, 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 17. Max CAPUTO, 20. Arion SULEMANI, 23. Marco TILIO, 35. Medin MEMETI, 46. Ben MAZZEO.
A FRESH NEW LOOK
Our 2024/25 PUMA kits dropped back in March, and what a collection of shirts we have this season. Unstoppable on the pitch, unmatched in the streets. These are more than just kits; they’re a statement.
With a bold new stripe running through the middle of our iconic City blue home kit, vibrant pink highlights popping against a dark grey base for the Away kit and a throwback to a 2011/12 classic for the third kit; these are certain to turn heads.
NEW FACES
Andreas Kuen, Germán Ferreyra and Yonatan Cohen headline the new signings who we hope to see tearing up AAMI Park this season.
Set to provide a steady head in midfield, Kuen’s passing range and work rate to press defenders make him dangerous both in and out of possession.
The first foreigner to join the Club, Ferreyra has the benefit of having done virtually the full pre-season under Vidmar, which could hold him in good stead to come straight into the XI. Capable of playing in the heart of defence, as a right back, or even as a holding midfielder, his versatility will be crucial this season.
Challenging him for a spot in the back four will be fellow new signing Kai Trewin, who has been impressive in pre-season off the back of being named an A-League All Star last campaign with Brisbane.
Our final international signing, Cohen joins a dynamic attack and with the creativity and decision-making he possesses on the ball, he will be a key figure in the final third for City.
RETURNING STARS
After struggling with injury in the second half of last season, Marco Tilio is again back at the Club on loan from Scottish giants, Celtic FC.
Our 2021 Joe Marston Medalist, Nathaniel Atkinson, also returns to the Club following a spell in Scotland with Heart of Midlothian.
While City regulars for years now, injuries meant appearances were limited last season for Andrew Nabbout and Mathew Leckie. City fans will be hoping to see the experienced duo fit, firing and back to their best this season.
Jamie Young is back for his second season at the Club, but is set to receive plenty of competition for the number 1 spot in the form of up-and-coming shot-stoppers, Patrick Beach and James Nieuwenhuizen.
BECOME A MEMBER
With the new campaign just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to sign up as a City Member!
Don’t miss a moment of the journey this season. Click here to sign up now!
