Wanderers can progress in the Asian Champions League, says club captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley

WANDERERS may be on the brink of ACL elimination, but Nikolai Topor-Stanley insists the titleholders still have a “realistic chance” of progressing.

Pictured is Western Sydney Wanderers captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley training at Tom Wills Oval at Sydney Olympic Park ahead of the 2015 AFC Champions League game against Kashima Antlers at Parramatta Stadium this week. Picture: Richard Dobson

THE Wanderers may be on the brink of Asian Champions League elimination, but Nikolai Topor-Stanley insists the titleholders still have a “realistic chance” of progressing.

After their shock loss to Kashima Antlers last week, Western Sydney now face the toughest of tests away to Chinese giants Guangzhou Evergrande, where they need a win to stand any chance of defending their title.

The general feeling is that Tuesday’s match will be their last of the season, but the club’s skipper says there is a belief in the team that their season will continue beyond that.

We need a but of luck as well, but in football you always need a bit of luck.

Nikolai Topor-Stanley

“That’s the way we’re looking at it — that’s the way we’ve always looked at things,” Topor-Stanley said.

“We need to be prepared and we expect to win. We still haven’t changed our mentality from week to week and that’s what’s going to get back us back on top.

“We’re still in with a realistic chance of going through in the Champions League. It’s a very difficult group, people said we wouldn’t even get a point and they probably had a right to say that.

“But we’ve proven them wrong and hopefully we prove them wrong again on Tuesday by winning that game. We need a but of luck as well, but in football you always need a bit of luck.”

Given their packed schedule throughout the season, the Wanderers have had more time than usual to prepare for the game after missing out on the A-League finals.

“You start actually feeling your aches and pains that you don’t really understand when you’re playing every two days — you don’t really have the luxury to feel them,” Topor-Stanley said.

“We were unlucky not to at least get a point in our last game, but we’re more than a chance on Tuesday.”

It may have been a forgettable A-League season, but Topor-Stanley was honoured to take home the club’s player of the year at the Wanderers Medal on Tuesday night.

Still, he would have traded that in for some more team success.

“It’s obviously been a difficult journey, but these are the people you see every day and to be recognised for your hard work and what you put in every day by your peers is the greatest honour,” he said.

“Obviously not the ideal circumstances to be accepting this award. Even though it’s nice I would much rather be lifting a team trophy — that’s what I’m about and that’s what I will continue to be about to hopefully bring it back next year.”

Originally published as Wanderers can progress in the Asian Champions League, says club captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley