Marco Tilio continued his impressive form as Melbourne City drew first blood in their Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Final against Western United, aleagues.com.au’s Sacha Pisani reports from AAMI Park.
Brendan Rodgers, are you watching?
16,912 kilometres away from Celtic’s title party in Glasgow, a rejuvenated Australian talent looked like the player of old in Melbourne.
Marco Tilio.
The 23-year-old’s performance in an Isuzu UTE A-League Semi-Final under the AAMI Park lights on Friday was a reminder as to why Celtic splashed out a then-record transfer fee to prise the Socceroo from Melbourne City in July 2023.
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Back at Melbourne City in a second loan stint, Tilio’s time at Scottish powerhouse Celtic has not gone according to plan. He saw just 27 minutes of action. A big part of that was the fact he started behind the eight ball upon joining the Hoops two years ago.
Why? Injury.
“It was hard…in my head I thought I’d only be out a week or so, and up until that point I’d never been injured in my career, so I thought I’d be fine,” he said recently via Optus’ Takes from the Terrace.
“But then when I came back to London and did a medical they said I’d done a grade three hamstring tear, so that was a 12 week injury and I did that rehab all through the Celtic pre-season.
“Being injured was new to me, I didn’t know the whole rehab side of it and how you approach it, but obviously I learnt it very quickly.
It does build up and get a lot (mentally) but it also fuels you, you want to stay out there and play.
“I thought ‘enough is enough’, I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m there playing, and if I’m playing consistently I know what I’m capable of.”
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With game time limited, a return to familiar surroundings eventuated at the backend of the 2023-24 season, albeit on loan at City before securing another temporary switch to the 2021 champions, this time a season-long deal away from Celtic Park.
After an injury-interrupted start to 2024-25, Tilio has rediscovered his best form under the watchful eye of Aurelio Vidmar.
Five goals and four assists. It is a significant return for a player who has been in the spotlight since Celtic splashed out a reported AUD $3million. It is also his best goal return since bagging 10 goals during City’s run to the 2023-24 Grand Final.
On Friday night, it was the Tilio of old. Frighteningly quick and a threat in attack – he was irresistible at times against Western United.
He provided the assist for German Ferreyra’s opener and had a hand in City’s third against the Green and Black. He was also unfortunate not to score. First he outpaced two defenders, including one of the brightest talents in Australian football nine minutes before half-time – all that was missing was the finish.
Then, during the closing stages, an audacious long-range volley nearly produced a finals moment for the ages.
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There was one aspect of Tilio’s game, however, that stood out in the first leg. His aggressiveness in ball protection. It is something he has clearly worked on while on the books of Celtic and it would have clearly impressed his manager abroad.
“It’s been good, especially his last six weeks, he’s been excellent,” City head coach Aurelio Vidmar told reporters post-match. “He probably deserved to score a goal tonight and probably should have scored tonight.
“I’ve spoken so much about Tilio over the course of the season that on his day when he’s on, he’s definitely the best winger in the competition.
“He brings a lot of different attributes. He can score, can make assists. He is a great dribbler, he is clever. All those things make him a very, very good player.”
It does now pose the question, what is next for a player still contracted to Celtic for another three years?
“On a selfish point of view, I’d love to have him another year,” Vidmar said a month ago.
“What’s really important for him, we have to remember what he’s done over the last 15 or so months, he hasn’t played a hell of a lot of football.
“To get a big bunch of games. He’s played most of the year this season. If he can play another 30 next season, it will really put him in a better position.
“What I wouldn’t want is that if he goes back to Europe, whether he is at Celtic or loaned out somewhere else and it’s not the right club where he struggles to play or struggles to fit in, it will be another year lost for him.
“Again selfishly, have him another year – what he is doing now and be super, super consistent next year, with a few more Socceroo caps under his belt, that would be the way I see.
“But I’m not making those decisions. He talks with his agent and then maybe it’s all out of our hands and then Celtic just bring him back. We will see where it goes.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds but one thing is certain, Tilio’s form has him destined for a return to Europe, either at Celtic or elsewhere.
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