A midfielder from Melbourne Victory has been quietly making waves this season – and he could be crucial to their aspirations of surprising Premiers Auckland FC and advancing to the 2025 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final. The stats behind the exceptional season of the 22-year-old are highlighted by aleagues.com.au.
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SEMI-FINALS CONFIRMED! Key details as Victory and Western United vie for a place in the final four
May 25, 2024: Central Coast Mariners triumphed over Melbourne Victory in a memorable Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final clash.
The night belonged to the Mariners, who rallied to win in extra time, though the spotlight shone predominantly on Central Coast’s treble-winning stars. Meanwhile, a talented Melbourne Victory midfielder emerged with his reputation greatly enhanced following a remarkable performance that nearly propelled his side to glory.
This player is the 21-year-old Jordi Valadon.
Last season, Valadon appeared as a substitute in 10 of his 11 regular-season matches, but under former head coach Tony Popovic, he started three consecutive matches in the Finals Series.
In the Grand Final, he provided an assist for Jason Geria’s goal in the 50th minute, and had it not been for a late equaliser from Ryan Edmondson, Valadon may have competed for the Joe Marston Medal for best player in a potential 1-0 victory.
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Unfortunately for Valadon and Victory, Edmondson scored again in extra time, alongside Miguel Di Pizio, leading the Mariners to a 3-1 win in the title match.
Despite this heartache, Valadon etched his status as a player to keep an eye on in the future, building on his memorable Finals Series with a breakout season at Victory in 2024-25, where he has been a key part of the midfield alongside Socceroo Ryan Teague.
His contributions often fly under the radar as he operates beside Teague in Victory’s midfield, but after yet another stellar finals showing against Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend, the now-22-year-old is becoming a prominent figure.
Now, he and Teague aim to navigate a challenging Semi-Final against Premiers Auckland FC in pursuit of a consecutive Grand Final appearance.
Valadon’s significance to Victory’s championship ambitions for 2025 was underscored by the praises of head coach Arthur Diles and teammate Daniel Arzani following Saturday’s 2-1 Elimination Final victory over the Wanderers.
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When media and analysts sought comments from Diles and Arzani regarding standout performances from the likes of Teague, Arzani, and star winger Nishan Velupillay, both ensured to acknowledge Valadon as a key contributor to Victory’s success.
“(Teague) was fantastic,” Diles noted after the match. “He and Jordi Valadon were both superb. That was the foundation of our success tonight.”
During Network 10’s post-match review, former A-Leagues striker Roy O’Donovan spotlighted Victory’s Socceroos trio of Arzani, Velupillay, and Teague for influencing the 2-1 victory while interviewing Arzani.
“You’ve mentioned me, Teague, and Nish (Velupillay),” Arzani responded.
“But there are many unsung heroes in the team as well.”
“I believe (Josh) Inserra, a young lad who has stepped up, has been phenomenal every match, personally speaking.
“Valadon’s efforts right to the finish, winning balls. It’s about the team as a collective; everyone put in a solid effort tonight, and tactically we excelled.”
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Legendary Victory player Archie Thompson built on Arzani’s remarks, highlighting Valadon’s crucial role in the Elimination Finals win.
“Valadon, as Arzani mentioned in that interview, performed just as well in this game as Ryan Teague,” Thompson stated.
“Their work rate in transitioning back and forth is remarkable. When you have such movement in central midfield, it greatly assists your defenders in building play.”
Valadon’s statistics for the season tell the tale of a player who, after stepping into the spotlight during the high stakes of last season’s Finals Series, has swiftly emerged as one of Victory’s vital assets.
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He logged only 513 minutes on the pitch last season, starting just four matches out of 15. This season, he has accumulated more minutes than any other player at the club, clocking up 2,290 minutes across 27 games, including 26 starts.
Valadon has recorded the highest number of tackles (71) among all Victory players, ranking fifth in the Isuzu UTE A-League overall—he has also regained possession in midfield more than anyone else on his team (70 times).
Both he and Teague rank among the top ten in the league for passes completed in the opposition half, with Valadon completing 722 passes in the attacking half at a commendable accuracy of 85.9%, the best among the league’s top ten players.
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Teague and Valadon are both integral to Victory’s top ranks for interceptions and ball recoveries throughout the 2024-25 season, while only Daniel Arzani and Zinedine Machach (six) have more assists than Valadon’s four this season.
Just seven months back, during the early stages of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season, former A-Leagues striker and current analyst Daniel McBreen pointed out Valadon and Teague as a midfield duo to watch, comparing them to their counterparts from 2024 Grand Final: Josh Nisbet and Max Balard.
Together, Nisbet and Balard were the standout midfield pairing of the 2023-24 campaign. Nisbet was honoured with the Johnny Warren Medal after an outstanding season, leading to his move to Scottish club Ross County. Meanwhile, Balard transitioned from the Mariners to join Dutch club NAC Breda.
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In the 2024 Grand Final, Balard and Nisbet were crowned champions after prevailing over Teague and Valadon in midfield – the newly-formed duo at Victory that has grown stronger since that fateful night in May 2024.
McBreen’s observation of the developing partnership in Victory’s midfield during an episode of The Tactician in October set the foundation for what was to come from this promising pairing in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
“A solid partnership is forming here,” McBreen remarked in February.
“These two always hover around the edge of the box, quickly getting into those spaces to win possession.”
“Valadon and Teague are developing an exciting relationship at the moment… they mirror the stature and partnership dynamics of the Championship-winning midfielders from the Mariners, Josh Nisbet and Max Balard.”
“If they can emulate those players, it spells an exhilarating era ahead for Melbourne Victory.”
On Saturday night, McBreen was in the commentary booth for Victory’s victory over the Wanderers.
A standout defensive sprint by Valadon late in the match drew admiration from both McBreen and commentator Simon Hill, showcasing the young midfielder’s talents and bringing back McBreen’s initial observations.
“Jordi Valadon’s defensive energy in that second half has been remarkable,” McBreen commented.
“He’s had an outstanding season,” Hill concurred.
“Absolutely,” McBreen responded. “And while he may not be in the spotlight as much due to Teague’s prominence, they complement each other, and I’ve mentioned this before – they remind me of Josh Nisbet and Max Balard in their synergy.”
Valadon and Victory will face Auckland FC in a two-legged Semi-Final for a chance to secure a spot in the Grand Final.
As the lowest-ranked Elimination Final winner, Victory will host Premiers Auckland FC at home for the first leg on Saturday, May 17, before travelling to Go Media Stadium for the return fixture on Saturday, May 24.
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Semi-Final Ticket Information
Information for Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Final tickets is as follows:
Auckland FC v Melbourne Victory – Legs 1 and 2
- Melbourne Victory vs Auckland FC (leg 1): Member pre-sale starts at 10am AEST on Monday, May 12, followed by general public sales at 1pm AEST on Tuesday, May 13.
- Auckland FC vs Melbourne Victory (leg 2): Tickets for Auckland FC members are currently on sale, while away club fans can purchase tickets starting at 10am AEST / 12pm NZT on Monday, May 12. General public tickets will become available at 1pm AEST / 3pm NZT on Tuesday, May 13.
How to View the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series
Australian viewers can catch all matches in the Isuzu UTE A-League 2025 Finals Series live across a combination of Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+.
For viewers in New Zealand, each match of the Isuzu UTE A-League 2025 Finals Series, including those involving Auckland FC, will be broadcast live on Sky Sport and available for streaming on Sky Sport Now.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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