Head Coach David Zdrilic is encouraging his players to relish being part of a big occasion when they face Auckland FC on Sunday (kick-off at 1pm WST, watch live on Paramount+).
Click HERE to view his full pre-match media conference.
A sell-out crowd is expected at Go Media Stadium with the hosts requiring a single point to secure the Premiers’ Plate in what is their maiden season in the competition.
And with confidence in the Glory camp having been boosted by the emphatic Round 26 victory over Adelaide United, Zdrilic is keen for his squad to rise to the occasion as they bid to crash the Black Knights’ party.
“There’s going to be a big crowd and big expectation from their side as well,” he said, “and we just want to make sure that we take that last result into this game.
“When you play in front of big crowds anywhere in the world, it’s such a great feeling and whether it’s our home crowd or their home crowd, it doesn’t matter; it’s a great atmosphere.
“We’re going to enjoy the big crowd and the atmosphere; that’s why you play football.”
Glory can take some confidence from their status as one of only two sides to have beaten Auckland this season and will be well rested and prepared for the trans-Tasman tussle following a bye last weekend.
But the Head Coach is keenly aware of the challenge they will face both on Sunday and then again next Friday when they take on Wellington.
“We’ve just continued working [during the bye week] and obviously it was great to come off the back of a win,” he said.
“For us it’s been a tough season, but to finish at home and have a really good performance like that, that was a much better environment to train in and we used the time to make sure that we’re ready for these New Zealand games.
“They [Auckland] are a very tough team.
“They just fight and fight and fight and they have a very strong mentality.
“It’s going to be even more difficult away from home, but we’ve matched them and shown them what we can do.
“For us it’s about matching them again and managing the crowd.”
In terms of early team news, Zdrilic confirmed that Seb Despotovski, son of Glory legend Bobby, will be a part of the travelling party.
The 19-year-old has been in stellar form for the PGFC Academy First Team this term, scoring four times against Perth RedStar last weekend and could now be given the opportunity to make his senior debut.
“Sebastian has been doing really well in the NPL and he’s going to come along with us,” he said.
“It’s no secret that I want to integrate young players and we’ve done it all year.
“I think we’ve improved that program [PGFC Academy] a lot and the players need to know that we’re watching them and if they’re doing well, they’re going to have a chance with us.
“He trained a lot with us last year as part of a group of the guys that are in the NPL and there’s been a progression from where they were then to where they are now, but you’ve got to be patient with them.
“He’s come in and is training like one of our players and isn’t getting lost in the sessions.
“Yes he’s scoring goals and doing well in the NPL, but he’s also doing well when he comes into training with us.
“I’ve got no problem playing young guys who haven’t had much A-League experience.”
Zdrilic went on to confirm that Andriano Lebib will not make the trip to New Zealand as he continues to build up his fitness after undergoing knee surgery and Lachie Wales and Zach Lisolajski will also miss out through injury, but Takuya Okamoto returns to selection contention having not featured since mid-March.
Sunday’s opponents, meanwhile, have enjoyed an incredible campaign, winning 14 games and scoring 46 goals along the way.
Uruguayan import Guillermo May is their top marksman having found the net nine times from a competition-high 87 shots, while Colombian midfielder Neyder Moreno has bagged eight and defender Francis de Vries has overlapped to great effect, leading the league for crosses delivered with 180 and claiming seven assists.
At the back, goalkeeper Alex Paulsen has kept 11 clean sheets, another league best while racking up a 77.3 save percentage and no team has conceded fewer than Steve Corica’s men (23).
Of their 12 home games thus far this term, the Black Knights have won seven, drawn four and lost one.
Match Details
Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 Season Round 28
Auckland FC v Perth Glory
Go Media Stadium
Sunday 27 April 2025
Kick-off: 1pm WST
Auckland FC squad: 1. Michael WOUD, 2. Hiroki SAKAI, 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 5. Tommy SMITH, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE, 7. Cameron HOWIESON, 8. Luis TOOMEY, 9. Max MATA, 10. Guillermo MAY, 11. Marlee FRANÇOIS, 12. Alex PAULSEN, 14. Liam GILLION, 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOT, 21. Jesse RANDALL, 22. Jake BRIMMER, 23. Dan HALL, 25. Neyder MORENO, 27. Logan ROGERSON, 28. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 8. Louis TOOMEY, 14. Liam GILLION
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
Perth Glory squad: 1.Oli SAIL (gk), 3.Anas HAMZAOUI, 4.Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 7.Nicholas PENNINGTON, 10.Nikola MILEUSNIC, 13.Cameron COOK (gk), 16.Adam BUGARIJA, 17.Yuto MISAO, 19.Josh RISDON, 20.Trent OSTLER, 21.Luke AMOS, 22.Adam TAGGART (c), 23.Patrick WOOD, 25.Jaylan PEARMAN, 26.Khoa NGO, 27.Will FRENEY, 28.Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI, 29.Tomi MRCELA, 35.Seb DESPOTOVSKI, 36.Takuya OKAMOTO
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 4.Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 35.Seb DESPOTOVSKI, 36.Takuya OKAMOTO
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 9.David WILLIAMS (injured), 15.Zach LISOLAJSKI (injured), 18.Lachie WALES (injured)
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