One way or another, Melbourne Victory’s Asian Champions League clash against Gamba Osaka is bathed in significance for the triple-A-League champion.
A win would see Victory reach the continental competition’s knockout stages for the first time, but anything less will likely result in elimination, thus bringing down the curtain on a number of players’ time in blue and white.
Kosta Barbarouses, Matthieu Delpierre and club icon Archie Thompson will all depart Victory to seek pastures new or hang up the boots entirely, but could fight another day with the club if it can secure what would be a historic triumph over Gamba.
But after an emotional week, Muscat insists his team must not think about the potential emotional significance of the game and instead focus on the task at hand.
“It’s more down to the individual, from my perspective. The reality is you’ve got to remove all emotion from everything you do,” Muscat said.
“You’re relying on your team mates, players that are out there will be relying for them to perform at their best.
“If you start thinking about yourself, then it’s possible you can get overwhelmed by emotion. We certainly won’t be doing that and thinking about individuals and ourselves.
“Ultimately our goal is to play at the end of the month.
“The expectations are great here. They’re even greater within the four walls of the change room.
“We want the season to prolong and we’ve prepared accordingly. Eighty per cent of the competition are off on holidays, we’re still here training and working hard.
“We want to do so for the next three weeks, the farewells and the emotional stuff can come later, we’ve got to remove that emotion.”
One of those set for the departure lounge, Barbarouses himself is not thinking about farewells just yet. Set to head back to Wellington Phoenix next season, the New Zealand international says he is not thinking about the future beyond Tuesday’s clash.
“It (leaving) has crossed my mind a few times. I’d be lying if said it hadn’t, I think if I start reading too much into it, it takes my focus away,” he said.
“I think there’s plenty of time to think about that and say the farewells after everything is over.
“Everyone is still committed until we can’t go any further, we’re all working towards tomorrow night and then hoping there’s another two games after that, that’s where my focus has been and plenty of time to get emotional after that.”
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