‘A perfect start’ – A-League stars react to 2020/21 Season Draw release

Round 1 of the A-League Season 2020/21 serves up some mouth-watering contests but the prospect of a Grand Final replay is a one that jumps off the page to Sydney FC and Melbourne City players alike. 

Exactly four months after a gruelling 120-minute battle to decide who would be crowned 2020 A-League champions, last season’s first and second placed teams cannot wait to dance again.

“It’s a perfect start. A Grand Final replay is obviously a big match up in the new season, so we are definitely looking forward to that,” Sky Blues head coach Corica told sydneyfc.com.

“You always look forward to the first game of the season and that’s a massive game for us.”

City defender Nathaniel Atkinson insists both title contenders will be aiming to lay down a marker for the new season when they clash at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday, 30 December.

“It’ll be a great way to start the season, with top quality opposition to start it off, and it’ll be a great insight to see how the rest of the league will go,” Atkinson said to melbournecityfc.com.au.


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A new era of Derbies on the horizon

Sydney FC skipper Alex Wilkinson’s eye was quickly drawn to another fixture on the schedule – a clash with a Western Sydney squad under new management with Carl Robinson at the helm.

“We’ve got the Wanderers in Round 4 which is one I know all of the players circle and look for when the draw comes out,” Wilkinson said on sydneyfc.com.

“Games against them are fantastic atmospheres and to have it at ANZ allows us to get more people in due to the covid restrictions so that’s going to be exciting to see what kind of atmosphere we can create in that game.”

New Wanderers chief Robinson was buzzing about his first campaign in Red and Black, which kicks off with a historic clash with competition newcomers Macarthur FC.

“It's a great start, I think everyone wants to play in good games, big games, so we're just excited to get going,” Robinson told wswanderersfc.com.au.

“Probably the hardest thing is waiting another four weeks until we do start.”

A step into the unknown

Tomi Uzkok admits he is expecting the unexpected when Western United open their campaign against Adelaide United in Geelong, but the defender has an eye on a repeat performance of the Green and Black’s 5-1 win over the Reds the last time the clubs met in March.

“We hope so, but obviously they’re going to have a very different team and we’re just looking to start off well and hopefully get three points to kick start our season,” Uzkok told wufc.com.au.

Reds star James Troisi believes the trip across state borders will be a difficult one and expects the early part of the campaign to be a learning curve for all teams in the competition.

“I think we’ve got a relatively tough start to the season,” Troisi said to adelaideunited.com.au. “There’s going to be a lot of different changes this season, with all the stuff that’s happened. 

“It’s going to be interested to see how teams are holding up. With no FFA Cup, we’re not really going to understand and get a feel for what teams are going to be like.”

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The return of fans in stadiums is the game-changer

Perth Glory’s start to the new season will be delayed due to their AFC Asian Champions League campaign and Alex Grant insists the anticipation of playing in front of supporters is growing fast.

“With everything that’s happened in the past six, seven months and the fans not being able to see the boys, speaking for myself, I’m really excited to get back out there in front of a home crowd,” Grant told perthglory.com.au.

Brisbane Roar’s Jordan Courtney-Perkins is amped about running out in front of the intimate atmosphere of Dolphin Stadium in Redcliffe, where the Queenslanders will call home during the 2020/21 campaign.

“Having it all closer to you and the noise amplified, it totally changes the way you play. It’s going to be great for everyone I think,” the young defender told the club’s social media channels.

Melbourne Victory forward Robbie Kruse is looking forward to a time where fans can pack out AAMI Park and recreate some of the more intense environments in Australian football.

“Everyone always enjoys playing against Melbourne Victory because you get to play in front of a European-like atmosphere,” Kruse told melbournevictory.com.au.

“We can’t wait to have a full stadium here and we’re raring to go.”

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This article was originally published on the Hyundai A-League website.
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