One teaspoon of attacking quality with a dash of South American flair.
It’s not his recipe for asado, but City captain Bruno Fornaroli believes the understanding between himself and Argentine duo Nicolas Colazo and Fernando Brandan will only strengthen as the A-League season progresses.
Fornaroli, Brandan and midfielder Anthony Caceres put their culinary skills to the test on Wednesday afternoon, cooking asado – a traditional South American barbeque – alongside Etihad Airways on-board Chef Murray Reason to celebrate the launch of the ‘Melbourne City Taste of Melbourne’ recipe book.
The dish, which is Fornaroli’s favourite food, will be included in all 4,000 copies of the book to be handed out to fans at Friday night’s match against Perth Glory.
It was a well deserved meal, as the City’s South American contingent played a pivotal role in the Club’s 4-1 Melbourne Derby win last Saturday.
Fornaroli is not so much excited about his team’s impressive start to the campaign, rather than the heights John van’t Schip’s side can reach.
The likes of Luke Brattan and Neil Kilkenny have stamped their authority on each midfield battle thus far, while Michael Jakobsen has provided the experienced figure in a defensive unit which has only been breached once.
Colazo and Brandan have added flair and polish to an attacking contingent boasting the energetic Bruce Kamau and star quality of Fornaroli and Tim Cahill.
With strength in depth across the pitch, Fornaroli believes the adaptability and technical quality of the playing squad is paving the way for a stronger winning mentality.
“We play more like a team, everyone runs, and we want to fight to try to win. I think we have more [of a] group inside the pitch and also outside,” he said.
“We’re happy for this and I hope it continues.”
It is a given that foreign players need time to adapt and learn in a new country, a task which Fornaroli performed so seamlessly during his record-breaking maiden season in the A-League.
Now Colazo and Brandan find themselves in an identical situation, and given time, the captain believes the Argentine pair will be counted among the top players in the competition by the end of the season.
“I am happy for them,” Fornaroli said. “Sometimes it’s hard when you change the country, have to deal with a different language, but nothing changed for them. They played like they were at home. “
“It feels like home for them … I think also we will see more from Fernando and Nico [at] the end of the season, everyone will talk of them and say they are great players.
“I also want at the end of the season the people to talk about this very good team. And for this we need to win. You can’t talk about winning when you are second.”
“Of course, it’s only two games for them. I think when they continue to play more games, they go more inside the team, and the level goes up.”
Fornaroli is focused on keeping his side grounded ahead of the Club’s first home game of the season against Perth Glory on Friday night.
“It’s a great start for us but this is football. You win one game like the derby, but now it’s finished. We need to think about the next game and the next step and it’s also a big game.
“I think we need to take this pressure, when you start the league like this, when you win two games away, then we need to keep calm and continue to work.”
“Perth is a very good team and it’s our first game at home, so we need to continue in this way.”
Fornaroli and City take on Perth this Friday night at AAMI Park, kick-off 7.50pm. Click here to sign up as a City member for the 2016/17 season!
