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With no disrespect to the rest of the A-League, this weekend is all about the intense rivalry between the country’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.
The Australia Day showdown between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at AAMI Park is one of the most anticipated encounters between these two great rivals in recent memory.
Whether or not it’s officially sold out – and if it’s not, it’s clear that only a handful of single tickets remain – the match-up between Ange Postecoglou’s championship-chasing Victory and Frank Farina’s suddenly in-form Sydney looks set to be a bell-ringer.
The thought of more than 27,000 fans packing into Melbourne’s boutique rectangular stadium should have every A-League fan salivating, with Victory set to break the current A-League attendance record at the ground.
That in turn should have armchair fans tuning into the Fox Sports broadcast in record numbers in what promises to be a bumper round for the code.
It’ll be a shame if Joel Griffiths and Rhyan Grant both miss the game through injury, the latter of whom has been one of Sydney’s best players this season, but the truth is most eyes will be on Alessandro Del Piero to see whether he can break down an often shaky Victory defence.
Spare a thought for Sydney defender Sebastian Ryall and Victory utility man Mark Milligan as well.
Ryall started his A-League career at Victory, while Milligan made his name in Sky Blues colours, however the pair now turn out for their rivals and will invariably receive a hostile reception from former fans – as will Sydney’s Brazilian veteran Fabio.
If the battle between the pair of two-time champions is a heavily anticipated showdown, then the clash between Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Heart should be an equally exciting affair.
If ever Wanderers fans had reason to turn out en masse at Parramatta Stadium, it should be to see whether their fourth-placed side can record its third win in a row against a Heart outfit which last week knocked off high-flying Adelaide United.
And with two former Socceroos from the class of Germany 2006 going head to head, it adds another layer of intrigue to a match which bears all the hallmarks of a slow-burning classic.
Wanderers coach Tony Popovic is highly rated and having served his apprenticeship at English side Crystal Palace, the A-League has been enriched by his presence on the bench.
It’s been a slightly different story for John Aloisi, who was preferred to Wanderers’ assistant coach Ante Milicic for the top job at the Heart at the start of the season.
Accused by many of favouring long-ball football over a more fluid passing game, Aloisi has been bolstered by the news young striker Eli Babalj could return on loan from Red Star Belgrade.
And if Vinnie Grella can finally put behind him his persistent fitness concerns and get on the pitch in time for the finals, suddenly the Heart could go from uninspiring plodders to a genuine championship dark horse.
But the real story this weekend is the enduring rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne.
The clash between the Mariners and Adelaide may be a top-of-the-table affair but it certainly won’t settle the question of whether Sydney or Melbourne is the better sporting city.
It will be a proud day for one city should both of its teams prevail and the animosity between the two cities adds extra intensity to what is already an intriguing round of football.
Hopefully no one labels their own fans “pathetic” (memo to Phoenix co-owner Gareth Morgan, people in glass houses, etcetera etcetera), but quite frankly there’s nothing more exciting than watching a couple of Sydney and Melbourne teams go at it for sporting supremacy.
The A-League is hotting up quicker than an Australia Day barbecue, so sit back, relax and enjoy what should be one of the most exciting rounds of the season.