Ahead of this Saturday night’s highly-anticipated Sydney Derby at Allianz Stadium, we use Opta data to compare the fixture to some of the world’s top rivalries. And the numbers may surprise you!
Derby matches are the lifeblood of football fandom. For some supporters, earning the bragging rights over a noisy neighbour can be just as important as lifting silverware at the end of the season.
But what makes a great derby? Intensity on the pitch and in the stands helps, as does the presence of local heroes. A little competitiveness in the tackle, as well as in the standings, also goes a long way.
Expect all that and more when Sydney FC welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to Allianz Stadium on Saturday, with both sides embroiled in a six-team battle to reach the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals.
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With Ufuk Talay’s side just one point clear of their steadily improving rivals, we are set for another thrilling instalment in a rivalry that has already provided plenty of drama since its 2012 inception.
Ahead of the 37th instalment in what some consider to be the A-League’s premier local rivalry, we drew on Opta data to see how it compares to some of the world’s oldest and fiercest derbies.
While the football world has its fair share of one-sided rivalries, the best derbies are surely those that retain a competitive edge, and the Sydney Derby certainly lives up to that billing.
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The Harbour City clubs have traded wins in their last eight meetings. While Sydney FC’s five A-League Championships mark them out as the big brother to the Wanderers, they have not won back-to-back derbies since December 2018 – though they have the chance to do so on Saturday.
Overall, the Sky Blues have won 16 A-League derbies (including one Finals clash last year) to the Wanderers’ 11, with nine finishing level. Since the Wanderers joined the league in 2012, they have finished above their rivals on four occasions, with Sydney FC finishing higher seven times.
Put simply, these rivals are often reasonably well-matched, which is not always the case in Europe. Premier League giants Liverpool, for instance, have finished above Merseyside foes Everton in 10 straight seasons and have only lost one home derby since 1999.
| Derby | Competition | Average duels since 2018-19 |
| Sydney FC v Wanderers | Isuzu UTE A-League | 225.89 |
| Chelsea v Tottenham | Premier League | 220.73 |
| Liverpool v Everton | Premier League | 216.36 |
| Arsenal v Tottenham | Premier League | 212.91 |
| Arsenal v Chelsea | Premier League | 206.20 |
| Real Madrid v Atletico | LaLiga | 201.45 |
| Celtic v Rangers | Scottish Premiership | 199.20 |
| Milan v Inter | Serie A | 190.36 |
| Barcelona v Real Madrid | La Liga | 187.64 |
| Manchester City v United | Premier League | 170.67 |
Competitiveness in the standings is almost a given when the Sydney clubs meet, and the frantic nature of the games is another draw.
Since the start of 2018-19, games between Sydney FC and the Wanderers have seen an average of 225.9 duels contested, more than matches between Celtic and Rangers (199.2), Manchester City and Manchester United (170.7), Liverpool and Everton (216.4) and Barcelona and Real Madrid (187.6), among other derbies.
Tensions between the neighbours can sometimes spill over, with an average of 0.22 red cards being shown per Sydney Derby in that timeframe. However, the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham (0.45) and tussles between Scotland’s Old Firm (0.35) lead the way in that regard.
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A figure of 4.33 yellow cards per Sydney Derby doesn’t quite live up to the tetchy nature of meetings between Italian giants Inter and Milan (5.18) or Spain’s El Clasico (5.0), but that figure is still up on the A-League’s average of 3.9 bookings per match in that same span.
A bit of blood and thunder is all well and good, but games are ultimately defined by goals, and the Sydney Derby’s average of 2.33 goals per game over the last six seasons is actually below the A-League average of 3.03.
That has not been for a lack of effort, though, with the teams combining for an average of 27.4 shots per derby in that time, more than we’re treated to by the Old Firm (22.9), Manchester Derby (25.1), North London Derby (26.2) or El Clasico (26.9).
Of course, no derby can be defined purely by the numbers. Memorable results and moments make any rivalry, and the Sydney Derby has provided plenty of drama in its 12-year history.
| Derby | Games Played | Average goals per game since 2018-19 |
| Milan v Inter | 11 | 3.36 |
| Arsenal v Tottenham | 11 | 3.36 |
| Manchester City v United | 12 | 3.25 |
| Arsenal v Chelsea | 10 | 3.10 |
| Barcelona v Real Madrid | 11 | 3.00 |
| Celtic v Rangers | 20 | 2.80 |
| Chelsea v Tottenham | 11 | 2.55 |
| Sydney FC v Wanderers | 18 | 2.33 |
| Liverpool v Everton | 11 | 2.27 |
| Real Madrid v Atletico | 11 | 2.09 |
Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero got the ball rolling in the very first derby in October 2012, scoring on the rebound after seeing his retaken penalty saved by Ante Covic to hand the Sky Blues victory.
Since then, the fixture has thrown up plenty of classics, from Sydney FC’s 4-3 triumph at Parramatta Stadium in 2015, to the Wanderers denying their rivals an unbeaten season in 2016-17 via a goal from former Sky Blue Brendon Santalab.
Last May, the rivalry entered a new era with the clubs’ first Finals meeting, with goals from Robert Mak and Adam Le Fondre guiding Sydney FC into the semi-finals after Morgan Schneiderlin’s spot-kick put the Wanderers ahead. Don’t rule out a repeat at the business end of this campaign.
Finally, what would any derby be without heroes and villains?
Goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne has held both tags, crossing the divide in 2017 when he left the Wanderers and subsequently winning three Premierships and three A-League titles with the Sky Blues.
Former forward Mark Bridge – nicknamed ‘King Bridge’ in Western Sydney – is surely the most high-profile player to go the opposite way, making the switch at the Wanderers’ foundation and going on to make a record-breaking 121 A-League appearances for the club.
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In an increasingly globalised game, supporters still love nothing more than seeing a hometown star getting one over on their rivals. Bridge only managed one goal in 14 A-League derbies for the Wanderers, but another local lad could take centre-stage for them this week.
No A-League player can better the eight big chances created by Penrith local Nicolas Milanovic in 2024, while he has also buried two of the three big chances to fall his way this year.
Sydney native Anthony Caceres could play a similar role for the Sky Blues; he ranks second among all Sydney FC players for assists (five), chances created (49) and successful dribbles (41) in the A-League this season, with Joe Lolley top for all three metrics.
Who will be the hero on Saturday? With bragging rights and a potential Finals spot at stake, the next edition of the Sydney Derby offers a chance for stardom.
