ALM GF PREVIEW: City v Victory

A blockbuster A-League Men’s Grand Final is almost here as Melbourne City prepares for the first-ever Melbourne Derby to decide the Championship.

A sold-out AAMI Park will be the backdrop for what promises to be a historic night, as City and Victory go head-to-head for the ultimate prize in the final match of the 2024/25 season.

Here’s our full bumper preview of Saturday night’s Grand Final:

HOW WE GOT HERE

City booked our place in the Grand Final with a convincing 4-1 aggregate win over Western United. A clinical 3-0 performance in the first leg set the tone before a composed 1-1 result last Saturday night sealed the deal.

Captain Aziz Behich found the back of the net for the second time in three games, capping another strong individual performance and continuing his rich vein of form at the business end of the season.

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Victory’s road to the Grand Final has been a little more complex. After finishing fifth, they travelled to Sydney to defeat Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 in an Elimination Final.

That win set up a two-legged Semi-Final against Premiers Auckland FC, and after losing 1-0 at home in the first leg, they bounced back with a strong showing in the return fixture to claim a 2-1 aggregate win and secure their Grand Final berth.

THE FORMLINES

City enters the Grand Final in red-hot form. Unbeaten in our last eight fixtures (5W, 3D), and with just one loss in our last 13 matches stretching back to early February, Aurelio Vidmar’s side is peaking at the right time.

Victory, meanwhile, have suffered two defeats in their past eight – both to Auckland – but will still take plenty of belief from their recent Semi-Final comeback.

The last two Melbourne Derbies have ended in draws, but City will be eager to break a run of seven winless encounters against Victory (4D, 3L).

That said, when it comes to Grand Finals, history counts for little. It’s all about what happens under the lights on Saturday over 90 minutes – perhaps even longer.

WHO STARTS IN MIDFIELD?

One of the most intriguing questions heading into kick-off is who will make up City’s midfield trio.

Andreas Kuen and Alessandro Lopane have started both legs of the Semi-Final in advanced roles and could be set to retain their places. However, Mathew Leckie’s second-half cameo last weekend – his third strong appearance off the bench – may give the coaching staff something to consider.

The defensive midfield role is also up in the air. Zane Schreiber impressed in the first leg, while Steven Ugarkovic brought experience and control in the second. Both have staked their claim, creating a welcome selection headache for the coaching staff.

OPPO WATCH

Aside from the opening 45 minutes of the very first Derby this season, matches between City and Victory have been tightly contested throughout the campaign.

Inside the Victory camp, there are two major injury concerns ahead of Saturday. Socceroos forward Nishan Velupillay is racing the clock to be fit after suffering an ankle injury during their second leg against Auckland.

Meanwhile, Mitch Langerak remains in doubt, having missed five straight matches with a foot issue. Should he be unavailable, Jack Duncan is expected to retain his spot between the sticks.

ENDING ON A PERFECT NOTE

Regardless of the result, it’s already been a memorable season for City. Under Aurelio Vidmar, the squad overcame a lengthy injury list, particularly among senior players, and relied heavily on youth throughout the campaign.

That trust in young talent paid off in spades. City boasted the league’s strongest defensive records and finished the regular season in second place, securing a return to continental football via qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite.