Derby Day in the world of football is the one fans always look forward to when the fixture list for an upcoming season is released.
They present the chance for clubs to get one up over their local neighbours or their traditional rivals.
Right across the footballing landscape, there has been major footballing rivalries developed over the course of history, whether it be El Classico in Spain between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid or right here in Australia with the Melbourne and Sydney Derbies.
With the Melbourne Derby days away, we take a look at its short but already entertaining history.
Top goalscorers
The all-time greatest goalscorer between the pair is the A-League’s top scorer, Archie Thompson.
Melbourne Victory’s highest scorers in the fixture are Thompson with six, Besart Berisha with five and Robbie Kruse with three.
City’s leading derby scorers, meanwhile, are John Aloisi and David Williams with three apiece. Alex Terra and Matt Thompson both netted twice.
Previous meetings
All of the meetings between the pair have been played during A-League competition with the pair yet to meet in the FFA Cup. A meeting between the two could occur in the final of the cup should Melbourne Victory defeat state league side Hume City in their semi-final and if Melbourne City can humble Perth Glory.
In total, the clubs have met a combined 16 times since Melbourne Heart were formed. The Victory have won seven of those meetings, with City winning five times with only one of those wins coming under the current name. The teams have met at both AAMI Park and Etihad Stadium eight times.
Victory have dominated Etihad Stadium, winning four derbies versus City’s one with three draws.
AAMI Park is a different story. City leads the ledger 4-3, with one draw.
The last game between the two clubs was during the finals series of the 2014-15 season. Melbourne Victory earned themselves a place in the grand final thanks to goals from Besart Berisha, Kosta Barbarouses and Archie Thompson in a 3-0 win in front of 50,000 at Etihad Stadium.
The first derby
The first meeting between the rivals took place in October 2010, with Melbourne Heart taking all three points in a 2-1 result thanks to goals from former manager Aloisi and Alex Terra. Former Victory attacker Kruse also got on the scoresheet.
Aloisi’s 10th-minute strike was the first ever goal scored in a Melbourne Derby. The game was held at the then-newly opened AAMI Park which had been in business since May earlier that year. The game also saw its first ever red card in the fixture with Aziz Behich sent off late during the second half.
Players to have crossed the divide
Only six players have played for both teams throughout the previous 10 seasons of the league with each starting their A-League careers with Victory. Those players are Behich, Fred, Kristian Sarkies, Mate Dugandzic, Harry Kewell and Tando Velaphi.
The magic moments
In the second Melbourne Derby of the 2011-12 season with scores locked at 1-1, the game looked destined to be heading for a draw. Deep into injury time, former Victory and Gold Coast United left-back Adama Traore stole the ball from Heart forward Williams who found New Zealand international Marco Rojas. He slipped in Thompson who delicately lifted the ball over oncoming Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton before the ball came down off the crossbar and over the line.
The younger side of Melbourne ran riot in a dominant display at AAMI Park in 2014, scoring two goals either side of half time in their biggest win over their bitter rivals. The four-goal margin between the two sides stands as the biggest difference in terms of goals in a single match. A 10-man Victory shipped goals to former Dutch international Orlando Engelaar, Dugandzic, Williams and Kewell.
Victory’s new marquee man Berisha marked his first Melbourne Derby in the best way possible, scoring a hat-trick as the navy side of Melbourne came from behind twice to defeat City 5-2. Thompson added a brace as the Victory ran riot in a dominant second half display at Etihad Stadium.
In the second derby of last season, the game looked to be heading for a 0-0 stalemate at AAMI Park. The winner came courtesy of a Paartalu header with the game approaching stoppage time, sending the City faithful into a frenzy.
Across many of the derbies played, there has always been a bit of push and shove, as well as some innocuous challenges. These are what really bring out the passion in the players, coaches and supporters. In the third Melbourne Derby between the two clubs, Kevin Muscat launched into a tackle on Heart player Adrian Zahra which prematurely ended his season. Former Manchester United and Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich labelled the tackle as “disgusting” while many internet users called for Muscat to be banned for the rest of the season. In the end Muscat was banned for eight matches, before retiring at the end of the Melbourne Victory’s 2011 Asian Champions League campaign.
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