Juan Mata declares Wanderers are ready to topple FC as major Sydney A-League club

With the Wanderers and Sydney securing two of the biggest names the A-League has seen, the derby is going to be bigger than ever, and both Juan Mata and Douglas Costa are champing at the bit to kick-off their new rivalry.

NORWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Juan Mata of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Manchester United at Carrow Road on May 7, 2016 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

They last clashed when Chelsea played Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2012-13 Champions League, but already football superstars Juan Mata and Douglas Costa are feeling the fierce rivalry of the A-League’s Sydney derby.

Mata has declared that his Wanderers are ready to take the mantle from Sydney FC as the dominant club in the Harbour City as the two headline acts prepare for their debuts on Saturday at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium.

Not since Alessandro Del Piero and Shinji Ono arrived for the 2012 season has there been this much hype surrounding foreign signings for the Sydney clubs.

“I’ve heard the differences and the rivalry, and the little banter between one club to another, but I’m hoping this time, not only in the game but the whole season, we can be on top and we can Wanderers is the only representing, say for example Sydney, in the Asian Champions League,” Spanish World Cup winner Mata said.

Juan Mata won a world cup with Spain. Picture: AFP

“In the first minutes you have to be careful, there’s going to be a lot of emotions, you need to be careful with your aggression, you need to watch out for yellow, red cards, you have to watch out for mistakes.

“It’s a very passionate game for both teams. So I think we need to be mature enough to handle all the emotions, and try to play our game and try to win.”

Brazilian flyer Costa has played in some of world football’s greatest rivalries, including Brazil against Argentina and between Bayern Munich versus Barcelona.

Douglas Costa will play for Sydney FC this season. Picture: AFP

“It’s hard to understand, but you can see the atmosphere changing when you can call derby, it’s not only here, if you go in Brazil, Germany, a derby is a derby,” Costa said.

“Of course I want to win the derby.

“I faced Juan like three times, and we spoke about this, improve these kind of things and try to grow up. Of course in this time of my life, being in Australia, I still enjoy playing football, that was the only thing I was looking for.

“So the derby, I’m going to try to show everything there.”

Sydney FC finished fourth on the ladder last season while the Wanderers were seventh, but Mata is confident in his new club.

“We’re dreaming of winning trophies,” Mata said.

Juan Mata had 196 appearances for Machester United. Picture: AAP Image

“I think we have a good squad, a well balanced squad with offensive players and also good defence, we have experience in the coach, we have a mix of older players and so many young players who are keen to learn so I am excited for the season.”

Mata, a former Man United and Chelsea star, has already been asked for his signature in restaurant toilets in Sydney.

“It’s nice to feel the appreciation and the love from Australian people since I arrived, what I have done in my career is great but my aim is that they will appreciate me for what I can bring to the country and to my team and the league,” he said.

“I’ve head many times, and I’ve watched videos of those times with Del Piero and Ono. But I think this is a game between Wanderers and Sydney FC, not between Douglas and me, but we are both very happy to be here and have the appreciation of the country and the football lovers.”

Douglas Costa celebrates with Cristiano Ronaldo. Picture: AFP

Costa, who spent five years at Italian giants Juventus, brushed off notions he could be FC’s new Del Piero.

“I don’t get that pressure because there is only one Ale Del Piero, he is the only one,” Costa said.

“I’m never going to compare [myself] to him, he was my idol in Juve. And if he’d like to come back, I’d like to play with him as well.”

Costa has refrained from exploring Sydney, waiting for November 1 when his wife and daughter will join him so they can sightsee together.

“My wife doesn’t speak English, but my sister is here to help her as well, I think she’s going to be happy here as well,” he said.

Originally published as Juan Mata declares Wanderers are ready to topple FC as major Sydney A-League club