Melbourne City head coach Aurelio Vidmar is embracing the moment as his team prepares for an unprecedented A-League Grand Final clash, a Melbourne Derby at a sold-out AAMI Park.
Having guided his side through a season of challenges, Vidmar is focused on keeping things steady in a week that’s anything but ordinary.
“We know it’s not a normal week, but in terms of the way we’re planning and how we’ve set up our training week, it’s been exactly the same as it has been all year,” Vidmar said.
“The only thing is, we’ve just said there’s going to be a lot more noise this week.”
Instead of avoiding the attention, Vidmar has encouraged his squad to meet the occasion head-on.
“Just embrace it because you can’t run away from it,” he said. “Don’t hide away from it. Accept whatever responsibilities you have this week. But we try to make sure most of our senior guys are taking that load.”
It’s a Grand Final unlike any other, the first ever between City and Victory, and Vidmar knows how intense derby clashes can be.
“I still can’t believe after 20 years it’s the first Grand Final, first derby in a Grand Final,” he said. “They’re always intense. There’s always something happening. That can be explosive, as you know. So we just have to try to prepare for anything and everything.”
“There’s no question they’re a very strong outfit. But we are also a very strong outfit and we deserve to be where we are today.
“Of course they’ve got danger players. We have ours as well. You have to try to manage those moments as best you can.”
FIXTURE DETAILS
A-League Men: Grand Final
Melbourne City FC v Melbourne Victory
Saturday 31 May, 7:40pm KO
AAMI Park
