Giovanni Savarese is well versed in the rigours of rivalry going into his first experience of the Melbourne Derby
The 55-year-old Venezuelan won four straight instalments of the Portland Timbers-Seattle Sounders bout stateside, and remains the only head coach to achieve this run in the MLS era of Pacific-Northwest clashes.
His first opportunity to carry such form onto Victorian soil comes in Matchweek 2, when Melbourne Victory host Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday, October 24, kick-off 7:40pm AEDT.
Both teams are seeking a launchpad to kickstart their 2026/27 seasons, each having suffered opening weekend losses in New Zealand.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Savarese displayed a strong grasp of the fixture’s magnitude through lived experience.
“These are big games. It’s not only about the three points and winning the matches, but this is a huge game for us, for our fans.
“I’ve been in a lot of derbies. When I was in Portland, Portland-Seattle was probably the biggest derby in Major League Soccer, so I completely understand. All my life, I’ve been part of derbies, so we’re in the right mentality. We’re ready for this match, and we’re excited about it, to participate and play.”
Vice-Captain, Philipp Ziereis, is also relishing his first derby action in Australia, having joined the Club in the off-season after spending most of his career in his native Germany, playing in both the Hamburger Stadtderby and Frankenderby.
“It’s a derby. It’s a special game. It’s not like a regular season game. It’s about emotions, about giving 100% on the pitch, just being better in the little details than the opponent. “
On his personal preparations for City, he added: “I have had a close look at all the strikers, especially the wingers, to try to get every [piece of] information I can.”
