Melbourne Victory goalie Lawrence Thomas talks of Italian lure after an emotional visit with his mother

‘Mamma mia, my mum can talk fluent Italian’ was Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas’s shock discovery as the A-League star opens up on an emotional off-season visit to Italy.

Facing the A-League’s best strikers and being involved in big collisions has failed to rattle unflappable Lawrence Thomas, but his mum managed to ruffle his feathers during the off-season.

CITY CLOSING IN ON MACLAREN

KURZ PROUD BUT PUZZLED AFTER GLORY DRAW

The Melbourne Victory goalkeeper travelled to Italy last June with his Australian-born mum Linda, and was shocked when she started speaking the local language.

She had not been to the country since 1977.

Thomas revealed how the trip connected him to his roots and gave him clarity around his dream overseas soccer destination.

Having established himself as the A-League’s best up and coming keeper, making no secret of his ambition to play abroad en route to breaking into the Socceroos.

Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas says he would love to play in Italy because he has family there.

Labelling Italy’s Serie A as ’perfetto’, Thomas possesses an Italian passport via mum Linda and his consistency and habit of standing up in the big games is being noted by overseas clubs and Graham Arnold, who had him on standby for the Asian Cup squad.

Thomas, whose mum has been a single-parent since his dad took his own life when he was 16, admitted it was emotional seeing her reconnect with overseas family.

Lawrence Thomas saves a goal during the 2018 A-League Grand Final.

“I went to Italy for a month in the off-season and I flew mum over for the last two weeks. It was pretty special,’’ Thomas said.

“I was amazed when she walked in and (spoke Italian). At home, none of my brothers speak Italian and at nonno’s (grandad), they very rarely speak it.

“But it was just natural, I just thought ‘who is this woman’?

“It was her first time there in over 40 years, it was nice to see her pampered for once. She was the centre of attention.

Lawrence Thomas takes part in a training drill at Gosch's Paddock last month.

“The World Cup was on and it was great to be part of a typical Italian family. My mum’s cousins had the big family house, they would all eat lunch together, siesta for an hour and go back to work.

“I went the year before, which was the first time I met the family, but it was quite rushed.”

Italy has not been a go-to destination for Australian keepers, but admitted he’d love to follow in the footsteps of former Socceroo Zeljko Kalac as a Euro move drew closer.

Lawrence Thomas tips the ball past the goals from a corner during the Round 5 match between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory at Jubilee Oval in Sydney last November.

“I would love to play in Italy. More because I have family there and I am a big fan of AC Milan,” he said.

“I would like to go to wherever my talent takes me. The better you play the more interest there is, the more doors that open.”

Thomas, who comes out of contract in May 2020, is focused on winning a third title for his beloved Victory, who face regular finals foe Sydney FC on Saturday night at AAMI Park.

“Not only football wise, I’ve grown from a boy to a man coming in as a shy 18-year-old,’’ Thomas said.

VICTORY TO UNLEASH SPANIARD IN CRUCIAL BATTLE

Melbourne Victory look set to let Spaniard Raul Baena off the recovery leash for Saturday night’s Australia Day clash with Sydney FC, in a crucial battle for second spot.

The Sky Blues come to Melbourne without Graham Arnold for the first time since 2014, but his replacement, former FC captain Steve Corica has continued the momentum built by the now Socceroos coach.

Dutch import Siem de Jong and ex Melbourne City midfielder Anthony Caceres will miss the clash through injury, while Victory is still without Japanese star Keisuke Honda and German Georg Niedermeier.

Defender James Donachie won’t be in the squad, despite edging closer to a Victory return in a virtual swap for Nick Ansell, who looks set to replace him at relegated South Korean club Jeonnam Dragons.

The return of Baena has been carefully managed by Victory, after an uncharacteristic run of injuries.

Changing last week’s game when coming on at halftime as Victory clawed back a two-goal deficit to draw 3-3, the cameo was his fifth substitute appearance since returning from a hamstring problem.

“Raul comes into consideration. It’s certainly a contemplation for us,’’ Victory coach Kevin Muscat said.

“Once again he contributed very well, he was a big factor in the teams’ performance in the second half last week which was outstanding at a point where (people thought) we would run out of legs.”

MELBOURNE VICTORY v SYDNEY FC

AAMI Park, Saturday 7.50pm

TAB odds: Victory $2.15, Draw $3.70, Sydney FC $3.10

TV: Live on Fox Sports

DAVUTOVIC’S VERDICT

A huge test for Sydney FC, whose depth will be tested having lost Siem de Jong and Anthony Ceceres on the trip to Wellington. VICTORY 2-1

VICTORY 4-4-2

Coach: Kevin Muscat

20 Thomas

2 Roux 14 Deng 6 Broxham 3 Brown

21 Valeri

15 Baena 8 Antonis

10 Troisi

9 Barbarouses 11 Toivonen

SUBS: 1 Acton (gk), 7 Athiu, 16 Hope, 19 Akbari, 24 Kamsoba

----------------------------------

SUBS: 20 Cisak (gk), 11 De Silva, 21 Lokoli-ngoy, 24 Devlin 31 Ivanovic

9 Le Fondre

10 Ninkovic 14 Brosque 8 Retre

13 O’Neill 7 Brillante

7 Zullo 3 Warland 4 Wilkinson 2 Calver

1 Redmayne (gk)

Coach: Steve Corica

SYDNEY FC 4-2-3-1

Get every match of the 2018/19 Hyundai A-League LIVE. SIGN UP NOW!