Melissa Barbieri could gain her first A-League Women’s grand final experience against Sydney FC
Melbourne City’s Melissa Barbieri has played at four FIFA Women’s World Cups, an Olympics and won the Asian Cup but an A-Leagues grand final appearance is the one box she is yet to tick.
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Melissa Barbieri is a legend of Australian football – she has played at World Cups, Olympics and won an Asian title – but she has never taken the field during an A-League women’s grand final.
That could all change for the 44-year-old on Saturday.
The former Matildas captain has played at the top level for 25 years. This year is her seventh with Melbourne City and she has also had stints with Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United.
She was on the bench last time City were in a final – also against Sydney FC – with Lydia Williams getting the call up over Barbieri.
She played just four games this season – three of them while City worked to sign Brazilian keeper Barbara after Canadian international Lysianne Proulx penned a new deal with NWSL side Bay FC mid-season.
Barbieri conceded just two goals in her three appearances and made an impressive penalty save which kept the scores locked at 0-0 last time City and Sydney met.
She was called onto the field for the second half of the semi-final with Newcastle last weekend after Barbara came down with an illness, and kept a clean sheet.
It is likely the veteran will be needed again for Saturday’s grand final with the Brazilian still fighting to be match fit.
While desperate to play in an A-Leagues’ grand final Barbieri is just happy to do whatever is best for the team.
“That’s the thing about football, we always give everybody until the last minute,” Barbieri said.
“I remember I went to a World Cup and thought I wasn’t going to play and right at the last minute I got the call to step on the field, so in a goalkeeping position it is about being prepared to play or not to play. I always go out there with the mentality that I’m ready to fly no matter what.
“I got those three games in the middle of the season and if I hadn’t been ready for those three games then we could have gone backwards.
“I’m just proud to be part of the squad, training every day and I know I’ll be ready if the time comes.”
City have had a tough season, the ACL injury to rising star Holly McNamara early in the season was a huge blow.
“Losing Holly that early was really distressing,” Barbieri said.
“We did win that day but no one was celebrating. She’s still part of the team and a very important person when it comes to keeping up morale and making sure everyone’s on their game.”
Barbieri said City had used a pretty big roster this season – with 25 players pulling on a City jersey this season.
She said it showed that everyone had a role to play whether they were on the field or not.
“Everybody who has stepped on the park did the job, whether they played five minutes or every minute of the season, it’s really been a big group effort this season,” Barbieri said.
The keeper said the fact City hadn’t lost a grand final against Sydney FC was irrelevant.
“It’s a clean slate,” Barbieri said.
“Sydney have a quality squad and we respect each and every one of our opponents.
“We certainly make sure that when we step up for that first whistle we know it is anybody’s game and we must bring our A game no matter what.”
With the Sky Blue’s boasting a stacked squad including Matildas’ winger Cortnee Vine, young gun Indiana dos Santos and Mackenzie Hawkesby – Barbieri said it would no doubt be a tight contest.
“It’s really critical that we recognise their strengths and do all the mundane things that make wins happen,” she said.
“A lot of people think it is about doing something spectacular but in a grand final it is the boring one per cent things that will get you over the line.”
Melbourne City will host Sydney FC at AAMI Park at 4.15pm on Saturday May 4.
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