Melbourne Victory finished at the foot of the Isuzu UTE A-League table for the very first time last season.
It was a bitter reality for the players, staff and fans to face up to, with misery compiled by how Victory fared against their biggest rivals.
In 2020-21, Victory were played off the park by the clubs they’re used to battling for greater accolades, whether it be Premierships, Championships or simply bragging rights in rivalries which mean so much – especially to the fans.
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Tony Popovic came into the picture near the end of last season, lying in wait to take the helm at the conclusion of Victory’s sorry season.
There was plenty to fix at the club in the months that followed. It’s apparent one of those changes, the new head coach, was most intent on enacting in quick time was to target points against Victory’s long-standing rivals: Melbourne City, Adelaide United and Sydney FC.
Last season, Victory went winless against their three oldest foes, losing eight of nine games and drawing the last – a dead rubber against runaway leaders Melbourne City.
But this season, they’re yet to lose against those same opponents in five games – and can make it six with a positive result in the Melbourne Derby at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
| OPPONENT / POINTS | 2020/21 SEASON | 2021/22 SEASON |
| Victory v Sydney FC | 3 games, 3 losses | 1 game, 1 draw |
| Victory v Adelaide United | 3 games, 3 losses | 2 games, 2 wins |
| Victory v Melbourne City | 3 games, 2 losses, 1 draw | 2 games, 2 draws |
| Total Points | 1 | 9 |
Victory were punished last season by their side’s mediocre form against those three opponents on home soil.
Both Adelaide and Sydney travelled to Victoria and won on two occasions in 2020-21. In Victory’s two home Melbourne Derby fixtures, City won on both occasion by a combined score of 13-0.
In and amongst some of these rivalry bouts came some of the iconic moments of the campaign; none of which Victory fans will want to savour.
Think Kusini Yengi jumping the advertising hoarding, and puffing out his chest in front of a scattered Victory crowd as Adelaide United completed a surging 3-1 comeback win.
Think Jamie Maclaren’s five-goal haul in City’s 7-0 Victory mauling at AAMI Park. Think Connor Metcalfe falling into the net as he wrapped up a three-minute brace in a 6-0 triumph at Marvel Stadium, and City academy star Stefan Colakovski bagging his maiden Isuzu UTE A-League strike off the bench shortly after.
Think of the Victory fan on camera, hands in pockets, glazing over the Marvel Stadium turf as the club’s crisis deepened.
Victory fans have not experienced these lows this season in the games that matter that little bit more to those in the stands.
Two league wins over Adelaide at Coopers Stadium, coupled by a triumph at the same ground in the Australia Cup makes it three road wins in a row for Victory in the Original Rivalry – a record feat for Popovic’s side.
In the Melbourne Derby, Victory have refused to say die in two entertaining draws – the first of which contending for game of the season honours, after Nick D’Agostino’s late equaliser sparked scenes in the North Terrace seen around the world.
With 15 points separating City (first) and Victory (third) in the Isuzu UTE A-League standings heading into the weekend, it might seem like an unassailable gap – but with four games in hand on the league leaders, Popovic’s side can still attack top spot by the end of the season should they emerge victorious from the Melbourne Derby on Saturday night.
Raising the stakes even higher is the chance for Victory to reclaim overall supremacy across a season against City – something the club haven’t owned in the Isuzu UTE A-League since the 2017-18 season (W2, L1)
Victory host the reigning champions on Saturday night in City’s last game before travelling to Thailand for six AFC Champions League group stage fixtures between April 15-30.
Defeat City on Saturday, and Victory will move to within 12 points of their crosstown rivals on the league table – with those four games in hand still intact.
By the time City return to Australia, Victory will have played a further five games. It’s an opportunity to surge into Premiers Plate contention Victory will be all to eager to seize – and it all begins this Saturday in the Melbourne Derby.
