Melbourne City star Rebekah Stott did not mince her words ahead of this Saturday’s Liberty A-League Grand Final.
Reigning premiers City and defending champions Sydney FC will go head-to-head in a blockbuster at AAMI Park on Saturday with more than a trophy on the line.
There is no sugarcoating the rivalry between City and Sydney. Not only are both vying for this season’s Championship but the tag as the most successful team in Liberty A-League history.
City and Sydney have four Championships apiece – and Stott has played in all four Grand Final triumphs with the Melbourne club.
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“It’s a pretty big rivalry,” Stott told Channel 9.
“We hate Sydney. We really want to smash them.”
Stott’s City pipped Sydney to the Premiers Plate during a dramatic final round of the regular season.
A heavy loss to Melbourne Victory opened the door for City to get their hands on the Premiership, denying Sydney an historic fourth consecutive Premiers Plate.
Now, City are eyeing their first championship since 2019-20.
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“This one would be pretty special,” New Zealand international Stott said. “It’s been a while since we’ve won a Championship.
“To come back and do it with this group of girls would be special.”
For Stott, victory on Saturday afternoon would cap an inspiring comeback to football.
The Football Ferns star was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2021 aged just 27.
Two and a half years later, Stott has led City in her first season as captain off the back of a memorable 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil.
“Going through chemo, I kind of underestimated how hard it would be to get back to an elite level,” she reflected.
“It’s taken a couple of years. To be here, it’s pretty special. I’m just happy my body is able to do these things again.”
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