Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo dismissive of his side’s ordinary form this season against fellow top-four teams

Melbourne City won the A-League premiership but failed to fire against the rest of the top four during the regular season.

Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo doesn’t care for statistics. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo has dismissed his side’s poor record this season against fellow top-four teams, saying it wasn’t a concern ahead of Wednesday night’s semi-final first leg against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.

Despite winning the premiership, City failed to beat Adelaide, Western United and Melbourne Victory during the regular season.

Kisnorbo’s side only picked up five points – via five draws – from a possible 27 in their matches against the other top-four sides.

However, Kisnorbo played down City’s poor return from those nine matches.

“There are a lot of stats in life – it is what it is,” said Kisnorbo, before adding that “not once” had he thought about it.

Kisnorbo was equally dismissive of City’s failure to win an A-League match at Coopers Stadium since 2018, despite winning a pre-season trial at the Adelaide venue the following year.

“You can mention as many stats as you want, and I wouldn’t even care. I focus on the now,” Kisnorbo said.

Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo celebrates his team winning the A-League premiership. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

However, Kisnorbo seemed unhappy with this season’s finals format, which has forced City to play in Adelaide due to the semi-final contests now being played over two legs.

“I don’t make the rules,” he said.

“I could go on and say a few things, but I don’t need to.”

In a boost to City’s chances on Wednesday night of a rare win in Adelaide, playmaker Florin Berenguer is available for selection for the first time since injuring his hamstring in his side’s 3-0 loss to Melbourne Victory on April 9.

“He’s fit enough to play,” Kisnorbo said of the Frenchman,

“Obviously a big boost. We haven’t had Florin for a while now and it’s another midfielder we have among us.

“I don’t know if he’ll start or what type of game time he can have.”

City midfielder Connor Metcalfe – who will leave the club at the end of the season to join German outfit St. Pauli – said the change to a two-legged semi-final at least meant his side got a “second chance” in Sunday’s second leg at AAMI Park if things went wrong in Adelaide.

“Hopefully we can (score) a few goals in the first (leg), then bring them back here (to Melbourne) and do the same,” said Metcalfe, who missed City’s success in last year’s finals series due to Socceroos duties and subsequent quarantine requirements.

“Last year I was sitting in the hotel and it gave me goosebumps sitting there watching the boys lifting the trophy.

“This year it would be really special to actually be there, win it and it would be so good to end on a high.”

Originally published as Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo dismissive of his side’s ordinary form this season against fellow top-four teams