Star pair Douglas Costa and Juan Mata ready to deliver in Sydney derby

The A-League’s two prized off-season recruits are relishing the prospect of an intense Sydney derby on Saturday night.

Twelve years after their only previous meeting on a football field, Douglas Costa and Juan Mata are set to be the headline acts in a Sydney derby that shapes to be the highlight of the opening round of the new A-League season.

Sydney FC’s Costa and Western Sydney’s Mata, the A-League’s prized off-season recruits, will be locked in battle for the first time since a UEFA Champions League match in October 2012.

On that occasion, it was Brazilian winger Costa’s then Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donesk that beat Chelsea – at the time the English club of Spanish midfielder Mata – 2-1.

“I don’t remember him on the field, I just know that we played against each other,” Costa said on Wednesday.

However, since their arrival in Sydney, the pair have crossed paths on a few occasions, and their conversations have included how they can “improve’ the A-League – starting from this weekend when the rivalry between the Sky Blues and the Wanderers reignites. at CommBank Stadium.

“You can see the atmosphere change (before) a derby,” former Bayern Munich and Juventus star Costa said.

“It’s not just here. If you go to Brazil, Germany, or everywhere, a derby’s a derby, and of course I want to win the derby.”

Wanderers star Juan Mata expects a ‘passionate’ Sydney derby. Picture: Richard Dobson

As does Mata, who said the occasion was more than just about himself and Costa.

“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,” the 36-year-old veteran said,

“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.

“There’s going to be a lot of emotions. You need to be careful with your aggression, you need to watch out for yellow (and) red cards, (and) you have to watch out for mistakes.”

While Costa looms as a certain starter for Sydney, how Mata is used by Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic remains unknown.

Working against Mata is that he has only played 10 minutes of football since September last year.

“I haven’t spoken with the coach about how long (I will play),” the ex-Manchester United star said.

“We’ll make a decision in the next two days but of course it’s up to him (Stajcic). I’m just training like all my teammates trying to get fit as soon as I can.

“I feel good, training has been good on and off the pitch with the gym sessions and the fitness coaches, so I feel good and ready to go.”

Originally published as Star pair Douglas Costa and Juan Mata ready to deliver in Sydney derby