Massive crowd expected for crucial Melbourne derby

Victory take on newcomers City in semi-finals of A-League play-offs

It’s not because I want to put the pressure on them, that’s the truth. They are the champions, they have had a great season and have had good growth in their performance.”

John van’t Schip | Melbourne City coach

The Melbourne A-League derby has developed into quite a grudge match in its first five seasons, and today’s play-off semi-final, which is expected to attract a crowd of 50,000 to Docklands Stadium, will undoubtedly be the biggest yet.

The winners of the 16th version of the derby will earn not only local bragging rights but also a ticket to Australia’s championship final against Sydney FC or Adelaide United, who meet in tomorrow’s semi-final.

Twice champions Melbourne Victory are the senior club in the city that likes to describe itself as Australia’s sports capital and topped the regular season standings to win the Premiers’ Plate.

Their Manchester City-backed rivals were born as Melbourne Heart just six years ago and had never made it past the first round of the play-offs before they shrugged off a run of poor form to beat Wellington Phoenix 2-0 last weekend.

“The pressure is on them,” City’s Dutch coach John van’t Schip said of Kevin Muscat’s team.

“It’s not because I want to put the pressure on them, that’s the truth. They are the champions, they have had a great season and have had good growth in their performance.

Like a final

“But this is a single game, it’s a final, and we’ve shown in the past we can get into those games in a very good way.”

City will need the defence led by skipper Paddy Kisnorbo to find a way to shackle Victory’s prolific Albanian striker Besart Berisha, whose 13 goals this season include four in three matches against City and a hat-trick in the 5-2 rout in the first derby.

Sydney FC, not City, are the Sky Blues in Australia and they would be favourites to beat Adelaide at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday but for their poor record against Josep Gombau’s side.

They have not beaten Adelaide in their last six league meetings, losing four and drawing two, and were knocked out of the inaugural FFA Cup by the South Australians.

In Marc Janko, though, Sydney FC have the most prolific striker in the league and they will be looking to the Austria skipper to add to his 16 goals after returning from a shoulder injury.