Adelaide United Head Coach, Guillermo Amor and defender, Ben Garuccio are predicting a difficult match, when they host Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium on Thursday night.
The Reds remain situated at the bottom of the ladder and are desperate to return to winning ways in order to salvage their season.
In the corresponding fixture between these two sides, Sergi Guardiola’s second-half goal proved only a consolation as City registered a 2-1 win over Adelaide in Round 4 at AAMI Park.
Last weekend, Adelaide suffered a 0-2 home defeat against Melbourne Victory, while City ended a five game winless streak with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Western Sydney Wanderers.
Reds Boss, Amor, is anticipating an extremely tough game against City and stated the Club need the three points to revitalise their stuttering campaign.
“We expect a difficult game against a big team in Australia,” Amor said. “City is powerful and have good players in there squad and they’re rivals of ours… we want to win and we need to win.
“I understand for them it’s also an important game, but our situation is bad in this moment and we need the result.”
Amor insisted the playing group is together and called for the Adelaide family to stay united during a tough period.
“We’re together, we’re a team and I like a lot the words of Sergio Cirio said in the newspaper yesterday (insisting the team is united),” Amor continued.
“His words about this (unity) we need this in this moment when results are bad and this is necessary to be together, everybody in Adelaide.
“The players, the supporters, the coaches, the owners, the people working in the office, this is very important (to be successful).”
The Reds have won two of their last three encounters with their Victorian opponents, which included a 4-1 rout of City in last year’s semi-final.
Meanwhile, Garuccio believes the team showed promising signs against the Victory in Round 14 and acknowledged Reds fans for their loyal support.
“We’re hoping to deliver another solid performance at home, I don’t think we played bad against Melbourne Victory (last weekend),” Garuccio said.
“For the fans that have still been turning up (to Coopers Stadium), obviously thank you to them and we need that support from them and to see a full stadium tomorrow will help us.”
The dynamic defender has been one of the Club’s most consistent players this season and admitted he and the rest of the back four are working tirelessly to improve each week.
“I think the more games I play at left-back I’ll get better defensively,” Garuccio said. “Not just myself, but also all of us working better as a defensive unit and as a defensive line.
“That’s what’s going to help the team and make us stronger and keeping goals out as a defensive block.
“If we get that better as a collective, that’s where we’re really going to improve.”
Garuccio also remains confident the goals will come, after the side has struggled to find the back-of-the-net with regularity this season.
“I think it’s one of those things when you’re at the bottom you find those chances aren’t going in,” he continued
“Whereas if you look at the teams at the top those chances probably are going in even the chances where they think maybe they couldn’t score or shouldn’t score.
“So I guess it’s one of those where our turn will come and you hope for a bit of luck, but I think you have to make your own luck.
“As long as we keep creating those chances eventually the goals will go in.”
Adelaide United host Melbourne City in Round 15 of the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season on Thursday, 12 January at Coopers Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.20pm ACDT.
