Melbourne Victory boss Tony Popovic cannot wait for the chance to showcase Melbourne Victory and the Isuzu UTE A-League against one of the biggest clubs on the planet, and as it stands, that date with Manchester United includes facing football icon Cristiano Ronaldo at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Both clubs announced fixtures at the iconic venue in July, with Victory playing the Premier League giant, before United then face Crystal Palace at the same venue.
The announcement was made with the Red Devils icon Dwight Yorke, with the A-Leagues’ initial marquee back in Australia for the announcement.
Amidst the excitement, there was one question on everyone’s lips: will Ronaldo be on the plane to Melbourne, the club’s first match in the city in 22 years?
“He is our player, he is contracted for another season as well,” Yorke said.
“We expect all the players to be here.
“The good thing I want to stress is, a World Cup usually takes place June or July and I would be a little bit sceptical because a players’ preparation after a World Cup, they usually get five weeks rest period, but that is not the case because the World Cup is later this year, so I expect all the players to be here.”
With the period a key window for the club’s 2022-2023 Premier League preparation, Yorke added: “Every player will be back, I can tell you.”
When pressed on the issue, Yorke answered: “He is contracted, that’s all I can say.
“In football we don’t know what is likely to happen but he is our player and we expect him to be here come the start of next season.”
Who will be in charge of the club is another unknown, with Ralf Rangnick unlikely to be in the hot seat.
Regardless of personnel – on and off the pitch – it presents an opportunity for Victory.
“For the A-League we can showcase our league and more importantly, Melbourne Victory, we can showcase ourselves worldwide against the best in the world,” Popovic enthused.
“Fantastic for our players, fans and members and football lovers seeing Manchester United playing against Melbourne Victory.”
United have been to Sydney and Perth since their last trip to Melbourne, one in which Yorke featured as a player alongside Australian Mark Bosnich.
It is fair to say it was a memorable tour for the United superstars, who made the trip Down Under without their manager Sir Alex Ferguson after their historic treble winning season, in which they claimed the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.
“(Ferguson) didn’t (travel), and probably a good thing the gaffer wasn’t here, we kind of misbehaved back then,” Yorke quipped.
“We probably couldn’t have got away with some of the things if the gaffer was around. Nevertheless we had a good time. It was a tremendous time to visit Australia, off the back of the treble winning year, the most iconic season in British football, world football … and to be a part of that and come back to the MCG, was absolutely wonderful.”
Yorke, who is in the final stages of completing his coaching badges, added that these tours present a chance for the Premier League to acknowledge fans across the planet.
“This is an opportunity for them to come out and see the players close up. We know Australia is a different part of the world in terms of the time, twatching the Premier League; gives the people across Australia … to come out and support the players, see, arguably, the best player in world football, even though he is slightly older, Cristiano Ronaldo.”
As for the former Sydney FC striker, could we see him back on our shores in a managerial capacity?
“I’m not here to take Popa’s job,” he joked, before adding: “I’m only two months away from completion, date has been set for 16 of June … my coaching badges is done so I have clear intention of going into management, it took me a little while to get into it, I needed to commit myself from the distractions away from it … but it gives me time to prepare correctly and I look forward to going into management at some point.”
He added: “Now it is about getting through the door as a manager, whether it is here in Australia, or somewhere abroad, but I am ready to make that transition.”
