Adelaide United’s 2016 title-winning legend Marcelo Carrusca is confident the Reds will beat Melbourne City

Marcelo Carrusca confident of Reds win.

Former Adelaide United left back Scott Jamieson is now captain of Melbourne City, he reacts against Perth Glory in Melbourne in March. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Adelaide United’s 2016 double title-winner Marcelo Carrusca says his ex-club Melbourne City have a crop of brilliant individuals but coach Marco Kurz has moulded the Reds into a better team and will win on Sunday.

Carrusca also expects the elimination final at Hindmarsh on Sunday to be one where Kurz will be tactically smart, whereas Warren Joyce’s side will rely on individuals rather than a rigid game plan.

Kurz is bound to work on City’s weakest links tactically.

“He’s (Joyce) a good coach, tough … tactically not much,’’ Carrusca said.

“I think Adelaide is the better team, you’ll see individually Melbourne City has better players but as a team Adelaide know exactly what to do.”

The now West Adelaide NPL attacker claims entertainment will be at a premium after spending six months working under Joyce when he was cut loose by Adelaide after the 2017 A-League season.

Former Adelaide United goalkeeper and captain and currently at Melbourne City, Eugene Galekovic and Marcelo Carrusca celebrate with 2015/16 A-League Grand Final win. Picture: Morne de Klerk/Getty

“It will be a difficult game to watch, both teams are very conservative they are not attacking teams so it will be very interesting,’’ Carrusca said.

“I heard about the Adelaide coach they have a similar philosophy, both coaches think a lot about the physical work, both teams train very hard.

“At Melbourne City we had a lot of double sessions, we spent all day there and we left the club around 3pm every day from about 8am.”

Despite Adelaide not being able to beat City during Kurz’s two years in charge the two-time The Advertiser/Channel 7 Golden Boots award winner says it’s time for the Reds to win.

“It’s a good thing when you don’t beat someone and everyone expects that you lose normally it goes the opposite way, it’s good for Adelaide,’’ said Carrusca, who now is runs his own football academy.

Carrusca, 35, also says Adelaide has all the attributes which saw the club claim major titles three years ago.

He believes familiarity and repetitiveness as the keys to being successful seeing it first hand when Adelaide’s most successful boss Guillermo Amor tweaked Josep Gombau’s attacking playbook.

“The club kept lots of the players that played with Josep Gombau from the first day and that was the key to keep them, they were around for three years,’’ Carrusca said.

“Amor looked at it and made us a bit more defensive.

“Amor was more calm.

“It was more like OK take your time and maintain the tempo during the game, be smart with the ball, it’s not about press, press and press, he was a bit different than Josep.

“But we were playing the same style for three years.

It’s not rocket science you know what to do, you know the players.

“You don’t even have to look at them when I was playing with Sergio Cirio, Bruce Djite and Isaias, everything becomes automatic.

“It’s like when you’re coaching and you have different patterns of play.

“You need to practivc everyday the movement and of course the players decide during the game but then you know where your No. 9 will be, your No. 7 it’s easier.

“It looks like they (Reds) know what to do, they know how to defend, they have fast players upfront and play very well the counter attack. I wish and reckon they will win.”

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