The moment has arrived, the Hyundai A-Leauge is here. Now all that’s left is watch it all unfold. But the staff at a-league.com.au can’t wait seven months to find out who the Champions will be — so we simulated it on FIFA 20.
Now we all know the player ratings on FIFA 20 are pretty precise but one thing EA Sports do not have up to scratch is the Hyundai A-League calendar. You will notice the 2019/20 season is played over 30 games rather than the 29 (and three byes) in real life.
Other than that, we can offer no guarantees that every single result will, or will not, be 100% accurate. Here’s how the final regular season table panned out….
HOW TO WATCH: Don’t miss a kick of Hyundai A-League Round 1
PREVIEW: Adelaide United v Sydney FC
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Tony Popovic’s Perth Glory celebrate lifting back-to-back Premierships, with Steve Corica’s Sydney FC just off the pace despite only losing two games all season.
Melbourne City take a big step forward under new chief Erick Mombaerts, while new boys Western United and last season’s wooden spooners Central Coast Mariners will surely be delighted to make the Finals Series.
Marco Kurz’s Melbourne Victory sneak into the top six on goal difference, leaving Ufuk Talay cursing his luck as Wellington Phoenix land in seventh.
Adelaide, Western Sydney and Newcastle all take a step back from last season and there is not a happy start to the Robbie Fowler reign in Queensland with Brisbane Roar finishing rock bottom!
That leaves us with a mouth-watering Melbourne Derby Elimination Final, while Mark Rudan and Alen Stajcic go head-to-head in Victoria.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6093352725001
Hyundai A-League Finals Series 2019/20
Two away upsets in those all-or-nothing clashes sets up Perth Glory to host sixth-seeds Melbourne Victory in the Semi Finals.
Meanwhile, Sydney FC welcome the resurgent Central Coast Mariners — who have to be the comeback story of the season.
It is not to be for the underdogs and we have a repeat of the Hyundai A-League Grand Final 2018/19. Once again, Popovic and Corica face off in Western Australia.
Perth Glory avenge their 2018/19 heartbreak and lift their first ever Hyundai A-League Championship!
Popovic breaks his Grand Final curse, winning in the big dance for the first time in five attempts, and the back-to-back Premiers add more silverware to the cabinet. Is the Glory dynasty only just getting started!?
FIFA 20: Hyundai A-League’s highest-rated players through the ages
MORE: Every Hyundai A-League club’s best XI on FIFA 20
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6093652247001
Goals and assist leaders
As debut seasons go, Bruno Fornaroli’s must have been up there with the best of them. The Uruguayan matched Roy Krishna’s tally of 19 from 2018/19, taking out the Golden Boot by a four-goal margin over Sydney FC new boy Kosta Barbarouses, who nets 15.
Equally impressive as the Mariners’ march to the brink of a Grand Final is Ryan Kitto’s return of 13 goals.
The Adelaide United utility has started at left-back in the FFA Cup in 2019 in relief of the departed Scott Galloway so a surprising turn of events must have occurred for him to notch up as many goals at Melbourne City hitman Jamie Maclaren and Glory boy Chris Ikonomidis.
Thumbs up to young Aussie Denis Genreau, who posted a breakout 12 goals from the Melbourne City midfield.
Such was Glory’s dominance that Fornaroli did not only lead the league in goals, but also assists.He shares that credit with Western United’s Hyundai A-League debutant Scott McDonald, Melbourne Victory’s returning hero Andrew Nabbout and City’s Genreau, who must lead the running for the NAB Young Player of the Year award.
THE BEST ON FIFA: The top five Hyundai A-League players in each position on FIFA 20
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Clean Sheets
Three keepers share top spot — Sydney FC’s 2018/19 Grand Final hero Andrew Redmayne, Western United’s eccentric gloveman Filip Kurto and, racking up seven shut outs in the fewest games, Central Coast’s new number one Mark Birighitti.
RANKINGS: Top 50 Hyundai A-League players ratings on EA Sports FIFA 20
Discipline
Hyundai A-League referees might need to keep an eye on Lachlan Jackson this season. FIFA 20 says the Newcastle Jet is the man to watch in the yellow card standings.
No player was sent off twice which is a good sign towards fair play in the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season.
However, Perth Glory were the team with most dismissals so the Champions must have won ugly on occasions.
Not convinced this is how the actual Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season will play out?
Watch for yourself as Adelaide United host Sydney FC at Coopers Stadium on this evening (Friday) to kick-off Round 1.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6093585174001
