Season 10 of the Hyundai A-League promises to be the best yet after today’s release of the 2014/15 fixture, with Melbourne Victory set to host a domestic league game in Geelong for the first time.
Season 10 of the Hyundai A-League promises to be the best yet after today-s release of the 2014/15 fixture, with Melbourne Victory set to host a domestic league game in Geelong for the first time.
Melbourne Victory will open its campaign on Friday, October 10, hosting last season-s runners-up, Western Sydney Wanderers at Etihad Stadium, to be broadcast live on Fox Sports and SBS.
That clash is one of 10 Friday night games Melbourne Victory will contest, with a further 11 games scheduled for a Saturday, three on Sunday, two on Monday and a sole Tuesday night game on January 6, 2015.
Unlike in previous years where it has been the season opener, the first Melbourne Derby will take place in Round 3, with Melbourne Victory hosting two of the three encounters against its cross-town rival at Etihad Stadium.
The club will officially celebrate its 10th anniversary over the Round 8 weekend, commencing with a clash against traditional rivals Adelaide United on Friday night at AAMI Park, and in a Hyundai A-League first, Melbourne Victory will take its Round 14 encounter with Perth Glory on January 2 down the highway to Geelong-s Simonds Stadium.
Kevin Muscat and his squad will spend plenty of time interstate also, with two trips to each of Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers, Brisbane and Adelaide next season.
Melbourne Victory Chairman Anthony Di Pietro said the club was happy with the fixture and anticipated the 2014/15 campaign to be the most competitive yet.
“This fixture is one that our members and fans should be really excited about, in a year we celebrate our 10th anniversary,” Mr Di Pietro said.
“We campaigned heavily to ensure we got as many prime-time games as possible, and with the vast majority of them to be played on either a Friday or Saturday night, we are absolutely delighted.
“We saw just how even the competition was last season, when almost every team still held out hope of making the finals right up until the last couple of rounds.
“After a very arduous schedule towards the back end of last campaign, we are also relieved to have a far more travel-friendly end to the domestic season this time around. Having said that though, we-d certainly like to be competing in the AFC Champions League again, but unfortunately it wasn-t to be on this occasion.
“Off the back of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the pending Asian Cup to be hosted in our own back yard, interest in football will be at an all-time high and having a large number of Friday and Saturday night games will hopefully see us post some big numbers, both at stadiums and on the broadcasts of our games.
“The Club is also excited to have committed to hosting a game at Simonds Stadium in Geelong for the next three seasons, and we-re looking forward to seeing plenty of football-playing children and their families come out and support Melbourne Victory,” Mr Di Pietro added.
