180 minutes stand between City and a place in the 2025 A-League Men’s Grand Final, with an all-Melbourne blockbuster on the cards as we face off against Western United in a two-legged Semi-Final.
With both matches to be played at AAMI Park, fans will have the perfect opportunity to rally behind the squad as we aim to book our ticket to the decider.
Click here to get your tickets for Friday night’s first leg!
Here are the key storylines heading into the first 90 minutes:
MIDFIELD MIX
While City’s backline and attack appear relatively settled heading into Finals, all eyes are on the engine room – with some big decisions looming in midfield.
Mathew Leckie made a welcome return from a hamstring niggle in our final regular season clash, and with two strong weeks on the training pitch, the Socceroo could now be primed for a return to the starting XI.
Steven Ugarkovic is another who has returned to full fitness after a late-season hamstring injury. His experience in the defensive midfield role makes him a strong candidate to return, but Zane Schreiber certainly hasn’t made that decision easy.
The young midfielder impressed in our last match against Sydney FC, showcasing maturity and control in the middle of the park – potentially earning himself another start in a high-stakes encounter.
Another tactical wrinkle could see Kai Trewin pushed forward into midfield, although that would appear unlikely with Samuel Souprayen still sidelined with a calf injury.
With options aplenty and various combinations possible, Aurelio Vidmar and his staff have plenty to consider before team news drops around 6:30pm on Friday night.
REST v CONTINUITY
Finishing second on the table not only secured our Semi-Final place, but also earned us a valuable week off. By kick-off on Friday night, it will have been almost two weeks since our last competitive outing – a dominant 5-1 win over Sydney FC.
That night saw five different goal-scorers – Aziz Behich, Max Caputo, Marco Tilio, Andreas Kuen, and Medin Memeti – a testament to the depth and versatility of our attacking threats.
Western United, meanwhile, finished third and came through a tough Elimination Final last week, overcoming Adelaide 3-2 in a come-from-behind win. That result ensures they arrive match-hardened and battle-ready.
It sets up an intriguing narrative: will City’s extra rest and focused preparation win out, or will Western’s momentum give them the edge?
THE HISTORY BETWEEN TEAMS
Since Western United’s entry into the A-League Men in 2019, City have consistently had the upper hand in this fixture. We’ve won 12 of the 18 meetings, losing five and drawing once.
Recent form is even more promising, with City claiming victory in each of the last four encounters – including both meetings earlier this season.
Our most recent showdown in January was a gritty 2-0 win with goals to Harry Politidis and Ben Mazzeo, the duo stepping up in a depleted squad hit hard by injury.
This is a matchup with some Finals pedigree too. Most notably, the two sides met in the 2022 Grand Final, while the only previous Semi-Final clash came in 2020, when City ran out 2-0 winners in Sydney during the COVID-interrupted season.
FIXTURE DETAILS
A-League Men Semi-Final: First Leg
Western United v Melbourne City FC
AAMI Park
Friday 16 May
7:35pm KO
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