A-League Men: Strikers to duel in Melbourne Derby elimination final
Two of the A-League’s great strikers will do battle in Sunday’s men’s elimination final, with both still dreaming of a trophy.
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Melbourne Victory star Bruno Fornaroli says an elusive A-League Men championship would mean “everything” to him as he prepares to lock horns with arch rival Melbourne City in Sunday’s elimination final.
Fornaroli, 36, is chasing his first grand final win in 10 seasons in the competition but will first need to secure a second victory over City this season in the first finals meeting between the sides since 2015.
Having narrowly missed out on the golden boot with 18 goals to Perth Glory’s Adam Taggart (20), the Uruguayan-born striker will duel with City’s league record goalscorer Jamie Maclaren in the Sunday twilight clash at AAMI Park.
Maclaren, who earlier this week revealed he would be leaving for an overseas club at the season’s end, remained coy on his destination as he kept his focus on the current finals campaign.
“My future will be decided very soon, but it wouldn’t be fair on the club and my teammates to speak about that,” Maclaren said on Friday.
“I’m here to talk about this massive game, potentially mine and Curtis (Good’s) last Melbourne Derby for now, and that’s my main focus.
“It’s been a great relationship – nothing’s broken, nothing’s bitter, and we look to try and play four more games and I’ll look to represent this badge for another month.”
Fornaroli said fans should “clap and say thankyou” to Maclaren for his A-League exploits, after 154 goals from 232 appearances, but would not spare him any generosity on the pitch.
“We want to try to (make it) Jamie’s last game in the A-League – that’s the reality … I have a good relationship with him and wish him all the best, but I hope (it’s his) last game,” he said.
Maclaren said there was nothing but mutual admiration between the pair despite an awkward stint together at Melbourne City in early 2019 as he was signed amid a breakdown in the relationship between Fornaroli and the club.
“I love the guy, people probably think we have this competition within ourselves, but he’s the first guy to message me after a goal and I’m the first to message him on a goal,” he said.
“He’s a cracking player, obviously our City fans will try and give him a bit on Sunday, but he’s well loved at Victory now … and he’s Australian now, he wants to live here, he wants to find himself a new home in Melbourne and we’re honoured to have him, we really are.”
Both strikers have had their share of grand final disappointment, with Maclaren infamously stuck in Covid hotel quarantine following his Socceroos duties when his City teammates won the 2020-21 decider.
Fornaroli has missed out on being part of a championship side altogether.
“(It will mean) everything … I think it will be so special, especially after so many years trying to win one,” he said.
“I will try to do everything I can to try to help the team to win the title, and a first one for me.”
Third-placed Victory will play Wellington Phoenix over two semi-final legs if they advance, while City (sixth) will take on premiers Central Coast Mariners if successful.
Originally published as A-League Men: Strikers to duel in Melbourne Derby elimination final
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