How Alessandro Del Piero feels when he wakes up on Saturday morning will determine if the in-form attacker will play in Sydney FC’s clash with Central Coast.
How Alessandro Del Piero feels when he wakes up on Saturday morning will determine if the in-form attacker will play in Sydney FC’s clash with Central Coast.
The Italian superstar has been battling a hamstring injury for the last week and sat out the Sky Blues’ final training session on Friday.
Coach Ian Crook has kept the 37-year-old striker in cotton wool for most of the week in the hope he will shrug off the problem and be available for the tough clash with the Mariners.
While the odds of Del Piero starting his fifth straight match appear to be lengthening, Crook remains upbeat and will give the former Juventus star up until kick-off to prove his fitness.
“I’m looking at the positive at the moment, that he is going to be fit,” Crook said on Friday.
“He will be given until tomorrow.
“We have rested him up and we are hopeful he will be fine.
“At the end of it, it is a concern (but) he is a good pro and he knows his body.
“We will get medical advice and make that decision (on Saturday).”
Back-to-back wins means the Sky Blues should be full of confidence for the trip to Bluetongue Stadium but the loss of Del Piero would be a huge blow to their chances against the Mariners.
Graham Arnold’s side have started the season in strong form and are unbeaten in their last six games against Sydney.
It’s understood either Yairo Yau or Dimitri Petratos will come into the starting side should Del Piero be ruled out.
Already without Pascal Bosschaart, Adam Griffiths, Fabio, Jason Culina and Joel Chianese through injury, Crook admitted his side’s poor run of luck with player fitness was frustrating.
“The difficult thing is we haven’t been able to put the same side on the park two weeks on the trot for one reason or another,” he said.
“Those other five are all progressing well but they certainly won’t be available for a few weeks.”
Crook said the clash with the Mariners, last season’s Premiers Plate winners, will give everyone a clear indication of just how well the Sky Blues are progressing.
While Sydney enjoy a better head-to-head record against the Mariners, they haven’t won on the Central Coast in their last five visits to the venue.
“The Central coast is our Everest … that’s where we want to get,” Crook said.
“They’ve been the most consistent side in the competition over the last two years, they are well coached and a well-drilled organisation.
“This is a real tough one for us.
“In saying that, records are there to be broken, history’s there to be changed, so at some stage Sydney FC will win in Gosford.”
