We head into the Medical Room with Soodox Pain Relief Cream to get the latest from Melbourne Victory’s Men’s and Women’s squads.
Paul Izzo has made a returns to the selection mix from the thumb injury he picked up during the Boxing Day match against Western United. Izzo underwent surgery in January and has successfully completed his rehab, being available for selection ahead of the Melbourne Derby on Saturday. Jason Geria will also make a return after sitting out last week’s match with soreness.
All of the Club’s new signings, including Damien Da Silva, Connor Chapman, Bruce Kamau and Fernando Romero have had positive starts to their time at AAMI Park and will look to play their role in the squad as they integrate into the first team.
The Club is taking a cautious approach with Rai Marchan as he continues his recovery from a concussion episode against Adelaide United on Saturday 14 January.
Marchan has been in concussion protocol since the incident and, the Club will continue to support Rai, and prioritise his health and wellbeing, as he completes his rehabilitation and works towards a return to team training.
Functional MRI Scans have confirmed a partial tear to Luis Nani’s ACL. With advice and support from the Cugat Institute in Barcelona, Nani will not undergo reconstructive surgery. Instead, given his positive progress since the injury, he will focus on a conservative approach including intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation, which is expected to continue for the next 4 months.
On the women’s front, Catherine Zimmerman’s successful return from a broken fibula continues to be a positive for the squad. A strong starting performance against Brisbane has seen Zimmerman continue to hit the benchmarks for her full return.
Melina Ayres also made her first bench appearance over the weekend after returning from a hamstring injury. With the extra week off for the squad from the international break, Ayres is primed for a full return for Victory’s clash with Adelaide United while Gema Simon continues to build towards full fitness following a calf strain.
Lia Privitelli is aiming for a return to the squad after the international break after missing last weekend’s draw with Brisbane Roar.
