City captain calls for unity ahead of vital Melbourne Derby: ‘I won’t settle for anything less’

Melbourne City’s captain Aziz Behich is preparing for yet another intense Melbourne Derby this weekend and has faith that the squad’s talented youngsters are equipped to handle the demands of such a high-pressure match.

Both teams enter this clash following memorable 1-0 wins in Round 20—City managing to overcome Perth Glory, while Melbourne Victory secured a victory against Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park.

Importantly for City, Socceroo Mathew Leckie completed his first full 90 minutes of the season against Glory during that 1-0 match, while dynamic winger Marco Tilio made his return to the starting lineup after a hamstring injury sustained in Round 3, playing 74 minutes before being substituted.

Behich expressed that with both key players back on the field, the team has gained a boost in confidence heading into the campaign’s third Melbourne Derby.

“This will be the third Derby of the year, and we’re aware of what’s at stake. As a player, these are the matches you aim to experience,” Behich shared during this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues.

“The atmosphere will be electric, especially considering we are positioned third and fourth on the ladder—there’s a lot to play for.”

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“The boys are well aware of what’s required. I think last week we put in a solid performance against Perth, and even looking back at the match against Adelaide, especially in the first half, and the game against Macarthur, I believe we performed quite well.”

He continued, “However, as the coach has mentioned in his press conferences, we’ve struggled with that final touch in front of goal.”

“We’ve thoroughly analysed Victory, and we’ll keep doing so, but our main focus remains on ourselves and identifying how we can enhance our performance.”

“This Derby is bound to be intense; I don’t expect anything less, particularly from my side. But for many young players, this could be their inaugural experience with the rivalry.”

“Having Lecks (Leckie) back on the field and Tils (Tilio), along with others who understand the significance of this week, is fantastic.”

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Despite a recent three-match losing streak, City currently sits fourth in the Isuzu UTE A-League, just one point behind rivals Victory in third, with the added advantage of a game in hand.

The team’s performance this season has surprised many, especially considering the numerous injuries they have faced.

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Although Tilio and Leckie are back following their respective hamstring injuries, head coach Aurelio Vidmar has been hampered by several senior players facing prolonged absences due to injuries, including midfielders Andres Kuen (hamstring) and James Jeggo (Achilles), winger Yonatan Cohen (knee), and Andrew Nabbout, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season after an ACL injury.

Nonetheless, one encouraging aspect for the City coach has been the contribution of the younger players to the team’s efforts.

“It’s frustrating not to have a full-strength squad, especially from the season’s outset. However, I think we’ve managed the situation reasonably well,” Behich remarked while discussing the injury challenges.

“A lot of these young boys have been with us since the beginning of pre-season, which has been beneficial, and they understand what is expected from them in the team and the club.”

He went on, “They’ve made a solid start to their A-League careers, but we know they will experience ups and downs, as has been the case.”

“We had a tough three-week stretch without a win, which was disheartening, but it felt good to recover with a victory.”

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A standout among the young talents has been creative midfielder Lawrence Wong.

Wong, who was awarded a three-year scholarship contract at the season’s start, is notably the first player from Melbourne City’s academy to advance through its entire system before making his first-team debut.

“Yes, he’s shown significant development since pre-season,” said the Melbourne City skipper as he praised his youthful teammate.

“Definitely, Wongy is amongst them. He’s been with us from day one, and at just 17 years old, he’s performed remarkably well.”

“He has a lot of time ahead of him. While he needs to further his physical development, technically, he’s an outstanding player. The same applies to other young players who have joined the squad.”

“They’ve truly stepped up and claimed their places, which is wonderful to witness. The academy here is excellent, consistently producing talented players, but the contributions these young men have made have not taken me by surprise.”

“As I mentioned, I’ve seen their progress day by day; considering the long pre-season, I’m not surprised at all by the effort and the quality they’ve displayed thus far.”

After suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first clash of the season against their city rivals, City later drew 1-1 in December.

However, their inability to secure maximum points in either of the two Melbourne Derby encounters this season means City has yet to claim a victory in this fixture since 2023.