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A-League: Wellington Phoenix Focus

Wellington Phoenix will looking to build on a strong 2023/24 A-League season when the new campaign gets underway.

The Phoenix exceeded all expectations when finishing second on the ladder and, although they disappointed in finals, there were plenty of positives.

Now the big challenge facing Giancarlo Italiano and his players is trying to repeat last season, or even better it.

They can be backed at 2.00 to make the top six, but that is the very least that they will be hoping for.

The Nix have also lost a couple of star players during the off-season and it will be interesting to see if they can cope without them.

Let’s take a look at how Wellington Phoenix are shaping up ahead of the new A-League campaign.

. What: 2024/25 A-League season
. Where: Venues across Australia and New Zealand
. When: October 2024 to May 2025
. How to watch: Paramount+, Channel 10
. Odds: Central Coast Mariners 5.00, Melbourne Victory 5.50, Melbourne City 6.00, Wellington Phoenix 9.00

Nix out to build on strong season

Wellington Phoenix took the A-League by surprise in the 2023/24 season as they finished the regular season in second place.

They were in the race for the minor premiership right up until the end, only to pipped at the post by Central Coast Mariners.

But there was big gap between them and Melbourne Victory in third, so the Phoenix were definitely one of the best sides in the A-League.

Unfortunately for them, they disappointed in finals, losing the two-legged semi-final against Victory 2-1 on aggregate.

It was an underwhelming climax to an otherwise strong campaign, and the Nix will be keen to come out firing in the new season.

There will be a fresh look to the side and they can be backed at 11.00 to go on and win the minor premiership.

Star duo exits leave gaps to fill

Wellington Phoenix will have to do without two of their star performers from last season after goalkeeper Alex Paulsen and star striker Oskar Zawada both moved on.

Paulsen was outstanding between the sticks as the Nix conceded just 26 goals all season, but his form caught the eye of English Premier League side Bournemouth.

The 21-year-old completed his dream move to the Cherries and now there are some big gloves to fill.

The same can be said with regards to Polish forward Zawada, who scored 22 goals in 42 appearances for the club before joining Dutch side RKC Waalwijk.

Both players will be missed, but the Phoenix hope the players they have brought in can help fill the void.

Japan duo Hideki Ishige and Kazuki Nagasawa have both arrived and will add quality to the midfield.

Marco Rojas, who has signed from Brisbane Roar, is a player with vast A-League experience as is defensive midfielder Paulo Retre.

The jury is out for now as it remains to be seen how the Nix will cope with the loss of Paulsen and Zawada.

Nix start the season on home soil

Wellington Phoenix will open up with a must-win game when they take on Western United on Sunday 20th October.

The Nix are 1.83 to start their campaign with a win, while Western are 3.80 and the draw is 3.70.

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