Melbourne City captain Bruno Fornaroli has spoken of his love of sudden-death matches as he looks to reprise his match-winning role from last season’s final against Perth Glory.
Last year, City defeated Glory 2-0 in an A-League elimination final with Fornaroli scoring a stunning double for the home side.
Fornaroli preaches calm after crazy Glory clash
Hyundai A-League Finals Series preview: City v Glory
On Sunday, they will do it all again at AAMI Park and both teams will have revenge on their mind – Glory due to last year’s finals exit and City because of last week’s 5-4 defeat to Perth at nib Stadium.
FORNAROLI FEELS FINALS MAGIC
Fornaroli took the Hyundai A-League by storm in his debut season of 2015/16 and his performance against Perth in the finals summed up his quality as he opened the scoring with a bicycle kick and completed City’s triumph with a direct free-kick.
While that game just over a year ago was Fornaroli’s first A-League final, the 29-year-old forward had played in championship play-offs before when he helped Danubio win the Uruguayan Primera Division in 2013-14.
Asked whether he enjoys the pressure that comes with finals, Fornaroli told Goal: “Absolutely. Yeah, of course. I wait for this moment.
“I can feel this, everything. The fans go to the stadium, it’s a different atmosphere to the normal A-League games. So I can’t wait to play this first final and try to win.”
Looking back on last year’s triumph over Glory prompts a smile from Fornaroli but City’s skipper knows it will mean little when the two sides meet on Sunday.
“We played good football in the first final last year. We get chances and we score, I score two, so I have good memories but every year is a different story and the game you have to play,” he said.
“Perth have a great team, great players. It’s difficult to win every time against Perth but we have confidence.”
TIME TO DELIVER
This season promised so much for City early.
Fornaroli and Co. sat second in the A-League when they beat Sydney FC in November to lift the FFA Cup but won just six of their remaining 19 games to finish fourth.
Since arriving in Australia, Fornaroli has regularly spoken of his desire to win City’s maiden A-League championship to ensure his place in the club’s history.
While no team has won the grand final after finishing the regular season outside the top two spots in the table, Fornaroli has embraced the challenge of winning three consecutive games to lift the ‘Toilet Seat’.
“This is the last opportunity we have. Maybe you play, you prepare all year for this moment, so all the work in one year is in one game because if you don’t win the first one you can’t go to the second,” he said.
