Brisbane Roar are back at home on Saturday evening, taking on Melbourne City in Isuzu UTE A-League Men Round 16 action.
Roar start the weekend in ninth position, three points shy of City who sit sixth on the A-League ladder.
Roar are at home for the second time in as many week’s with a last gasp Corey Brown header saw Roar snatch a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw with league leaders, Wellington Phoenix in their last outing.
City, who have lost three of their last four are looking to bounce back after suffering a 4-2 defeat on the road against Perth Glory last Friday night.
WHAT WAS SAID
“We need to make sure that our structures, our processes our attitude and our effort and our and our willingness to fight for the club and for the jersey, we need to make sure that’s at its best. I feel if we do that we’re good enough to compete with anyone.” – Ruben Zadkovich
“We’ve had a good week on the training pitch, a positive performance last week and a good point against a Phoenix side who are going really, really well, so we’re confident going into the game at home in front of our own fans.
“We love playing in front of our fans at Suncorp so we’re confident we can get a positive result.” – Jay O’Shea
TEAM NEWS
Henry Hore and Jack Hingert are both available for Saturday’s A-League Men’s match after overcoming knocks that saw them forced off last weekend’s draw with Wellington.
Club captain, Tom Aldred won’t be risked on Saturday after being forced to withdraw from last week’s match in the warm-up with calf tightness.
Florin Berenguer returns to the matchday squad for the first time since being forced off with injury in the Roar’s Unite Round win over Newcastle Jets in January.
City will be without Tolgay Arslan after the midfielder was shown a red card after the full time whistle in his sides defeat in Perth last weekend.
Marco Tilio, who returned from City on loan from Celtic in the January transfer window has been named in the squad for the first time since signing on while Marin Jakolis and Samuel Souprayen are both included in the squad as the duo look to return from injury.
FULL TEAM NEWS: Queensland X-Ray Injury Update
BRFC Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 3. Corey BROWN, 6. Joe CALETTI, 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 13. Henry HORE, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 17. Carlo ARMIENTO, 19. Jack HINGERT, 20. Marco ROJAS, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 26. Jay O’Shea, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 35. Louis ZABALA, 99 . Ayom MAJOK
In: 7. Florin BERENGUER (returns from injury)
Out: 5. Tom ALDRED (calf tightness)
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE, 14. Rylan BROWNLIE
City Squad: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 4. Nuno REIS, 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 7. Mathew LECKIE, 8. James JEGGO, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C), 11. Leo NATEL, 15. Andrew NABBOUT, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 18. Jordon HALL, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 22. Curtis GOOD, 23. Marco TILIO, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 33. Patrick BEACH (GK), 37. Max CAPUTO, 38. Harry POLITIDIS, 44. Marin JAKOLIS, 46. Ben MAZZEO.
In: 23. Marco TILIO (new signing), 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 44. Marin JAKOLIS (both return from injury).
Out: 10. Tolgay ARSLAN (suspension).
Unavailable: 10. Tolgay ARSLAN, 25. Callum TALBOT , 34. Arion SULEMANI
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 40
Brisbane Roar wins: 12
Melbourne City wins: 21
Draws: 7
KEY STATS Brought to you by Opta:
-Melbourne City FC (67% – 18/27) and Brisbane Roar FC (65% – 15/23) have scored a higher percentage of their total goals from right-footed shots than any other teams in the 2023/24 A-League Men season.
-Brisbane Roar FC have scored 30% of their total goals between the 61st and 75th minute of matches (7/23) in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the highest rate of any team in the competition.
-Carlo Armiento (Brisbane Roar FC) has had 20 shots in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the most of any player yet to score a goal in the campaign.
-Melbourne City FC have lost each of their last three A-League Men matches away from AAMI Park; the last time they recorded a longer losing run away from their home venue was a four-match span from March to November in 2019.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 16: Brisbane Roar v Melbourne City
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Saturday, February 10 (5:00pm KO)
TICKETS
