A-League: Melbourne City Focus

Melbourne City will be out to make amends for losing the 2022/23 A-League grand final and should be the team to beat once again in the season ahead.

City won the premiership with ease, sitting 11 points clear at the top of the ladder at the end of the regular season, but came unstuck in the grand final.

The manner of the shock 6-1 defeat against Central Coast Mariners will have stung them and they are sure to come roaring back in 2023/24 campaign.

City can be backed at 3.80 to win the grand final and will have the players capable of going all the way.

Let’s take a look at how they are shaping up with the new season just a couple of weeks away.

What	2023/24 A-League season
Where	Venues across Australia and New Zealand
When	Friday 20th October 2023 - May 2024
How to watch	Network 10, Paramount+
Odds	Melbourne City 3.80, Central Coast Mariners 6.00, Western Sydney Wanderers 7.00 , Adelaide United 8.00, Sydney FC 8.00

Two stars have moved on

There has been a huge turnover of players at City during the off-season, with some big names moving on, while some exciting signings have headed the other way.

City suffered grand final heartbreak when losing to the Mariners and they will be without a couple of big names as they look to bounce back.

The biggest one being Socceroos starlet Marco Tilio, who has joined Scottish giants Celtic on a bumper five-year deal.

The 21-year-old has been one of the hottest prospects in the A-League for some time and now gets his big move to Europe.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Tom Glover has also left City to join English Championship side Middlesbrough and City wasted no time in replacing him.

Young on board

Veteran goalkeeper Jamie Young, who won the grand final with Western United in 2021/22, is the man who has been brought in to fill the void left by Glover’s departure.

He is not the only new arrival at City, who have been very busy indeed.

Tolgay Arslan has arrived from Serie A outfit Udinese, while they have also stayed closer to home with the captures of Alessandro Lopane from Western Sydney Wanderers, Patrick Beach from Central Coast Mariners, Zane Schreiber from Sydney FC and Steven Ugarkovic from Wellington Phoenix.

They have also thrown a lifeline to former Socceroos star Terry Antonis, who was on the books of Western Sydney Wanderers last season.

City have also snapped up Brazilian forward Leo Natel on a season-long loan deal from Brazil giants Corinthians.

The 26-year-old, who came through the Academy ranks at Portuguese giants Benfica, has pace, power and technical ability and should be a big hit in the A-League.

City's opening fixtures

City get their campaign underway with a home game against Western United on Saturday 21st October.

They are the hot fancies at 1.57 to win the game, with Western available at 5.25 to pull off a shock. The draw can be backed at 4.33.

The week after, City face a very tough game on the road when they take on Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.

The Reds are expected be one of the main dangers to City this season and will be out to make the most of home advantage.

There are three games for City in November, two of which are at home, with Sydney FC and Macarthur FC the visitors.

City wrap up the month with another tough away day, this time against Wellington Phoenix.