After missing majority of the 2024/25 season with a serious leg injury, City midfielder Alessandro Lopane is relishing the opportunity to make his mark in the run home.
The 21-year-old spoke about his comeback and the team’s togetherness ahead of a huge clash with Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
Read Lopane’s pre-match thoughts below…
COMEBACK KID
“Everyday I wake up and I get to touch the pitch again, it’s unreal.
“Obviously, the start of the season, it was a bit of an upset, having that injury. But I feel like I’ve pretty much bounced back and done everything on my end to try and, you know, try and get back into the squad and now that I’m playing again, it’s an unreal feeling.
“Six months ago I would not think I would be in this position, so I can’t complain. And every single day I’m out there with the boys, it’s such a blessed feeling.”
POINTY END OF THE SEASON
“The team is in a pretty decent spot. I think we can just keep focusing… training as hard as possible to continue our form.
“We’ve got a good mindset and a good morale in our squad and I think if we just keep pushing hard and working hard, I think the results will show.
“We’ve got such a great mentality in this squad and it all starts from our captain, I think it just drives us… You know we’ve had so many ups and downs through injuries and younger boys playing up into the squad. And you know everyone’s been doing really, really well and the results have been showing.”
STRONG RETURN
“I think coming back from an injury and Viddy [Aurelio Vidmar] he obviously wants to see that I’m ready and that he can trust me. I’ve just been trying to work as hard as possible and show him, obviously like that I’m personally ready and I think I’ve done so, and he’s obviously seen it.
“But, you know, I’m obviously still think getting back to what I was and obviously there’s still more work to be done, but, yeah, I mean, he’s trusted me and he’s given me such, a great, insight in, you know, being in that starting 11. And, I’ve just been listening to, you know, whatever he’s been saying and trying to put that out onto the pitch, and I think he’s been really happy with what I’ve been doing.
“But, yeah, on my end, I think I’ve just got to try and stay consistent. I think in football there’s so many ups and downs, but, I just want to keep showing that I’m ready and I’m fit and healthy, that I can keep playing and hopefully keep starting.”
Don’t miss this Saturday’s clash with Adelaide United, get your tickets now!
