Bruno Fornaroli’s exit from Melbourne City was far from ceremonious, but the Perth Glory striker says there’s a mutual love between him and the City fans that will never fade.
The Uruguayan is preparing to take on his former side for the first time since leaving the club in February when Glory travel to face City at AAMI Park on Friday night (7:30pm AEDT).
Whatever hostilities may exist between Fornaroli and the club after the circumstances of his departure, Glory’s star striker says it will be a strange feeling playing in front of his former home crowd which he still adores to this day.
“I think it will feel a little bit strange to come back to AAMI Park with another shirt,” Fornaroli told a-league.com.au.
“But at the same time I think I will have a good, warm welcome, because the fans supported me to the last minute.
“I tried to give everything for Melbourne City, so I don’t expect something bad.
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“I should expect good feelings. I couldn’t say bye on the field at the end, so it will be a good time now to say hello and meet with the fans again.
“For me it will be great. It’s a good way for me to come back there and see the people that worked with me for a couple of years and the fans who supported me.
“It’s a great feeling for me. It’s not the best way I left the club but I have great memories there and a perfect feeling with the fans, so I can’t wait.”
Fornaroli and the Glory head to Melbourne for the second time in a week after losing 1-0 to Melbourne Victory last Friday night.
The loss sent them to the bottom of the table with just one win to their name.
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Glory’s dip in form since winning the Premiers’ Plate last season is concerning for Fornaroli but it’s a slump he’s determined to turn around, starting with a win against his former side on Friday night.
“Sometimes, it’s about time,” Fornaroli said.
“At the moment we don’t [have] a lot of points and the people here the fans expect more from me, the team, from everyone, because last year they did very well.
“Now the people think ‘okay you have to do it again’.
“Now we have to take the responsibility and try to push more, play better, and for me score more goals and try and help the team more.
“We’re training very, very (well)… we’re still adapting the new players inside the system and the team.
“We had a great pre-season… it’s not the same playing in pre-season when you play in the league, but I trust in this team, I trust in the coaches.
“When you listen to the coach talk you say ‘no worries, we’ll do it better and better’.”
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Melbourne City FC v Perth Glory
Friday, 6 December 2019
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 7:30pm (Local) (7:30pm (AEDT))
Referee: Shaun Evans
Assistant Referee 1: Owen Goldrick
Assistant Referee 2: George Lakrindis
Fourth Official: Lachlan Keevers
VAR: Kris Griffiths-Jones