Melbourne City will usher in the new year with a blockbuster clash against Sydney FC, taking to the AAMI Park pitch for the first time in 2026 this Saturday night.
After a frustrating run of results to close out last year, Aurelio Vidmar’s men will be eager to turn the page and begin the new campaign on a positive note in front of a home crowd. With a challenging stretch of fixtures ahead, we’ll be hoping the new year brings a fresh start – and a return to winning ways.
Don’t miss our first AAMI Park outing of 2026 — secure your tickets now.
Here are the major talking points ahead of Saturday night:
A fresh start in 2026
There’s no hiding from the fact that the end of 2025 didn’t deliver the results we were hoping for, with City closing out the year on a four-game winless run. While performances across that stretch still contained encouraging signs, the points didn’t quite follow, leaving Vidmar’s squad keen to reset and refocus as the calendar turns.
Saturday night offers the perfect opportunity to do just that. The start of a new year brings with it a clean slate, and City will be determined to draw a line under the frustrations of December and reassert ourselves early in 2026. Doing so won’t come easily though, with an in-form Sydney FC arriving in Melbourne full of confidence.
The Sky Blues currently sit second on the Isuzu UTE A-League table and will be well aware that a victory at AAMI Park could see them climb to top. Having not played for a fortnight, Sydney will be fresh and hungry – meaning City will need to be sharp from the opening whistle to keep the visitors at bay and give ourselves the best chance of starting the year on the right foot.
Another busy period begins
For perhaps the first time in a while, City have enjoyed something of a luxury this week – time on the training pitch. A near-full week of preparation has allowed Vidmar and his staff the chance to reset, review, and fine-tune ahead of Saturday’s contest, something that has been rare during a congested festive period.
That breathing space won’t last long though. Saturday’s clash marks the beginning of another demanding run of fixtures, with two further matches to follow across the next week. Thankfully for City, that stretch will be spent at home, as AAMI Park continues to serve as a base throughout January.
Following Sydney’s visit, City will remain in Melbourne to host Brisbane Roar on Tuesday night before welcoming Newcastle Jets the following Sunday. From there, home fixtures against Auckland FC and Macarthur round out a busy month, before we finally hit the road for our first away trip of 2026 against Wellington Phoenix on January 30.
150 up for our skipper
While results may not have fallen our way late last year, one constant has been the form and leadership of captain Aziz Behich. Leading by example from the left side, the skipper has been a standout across recent weeks and was deservedly voted City fans’ December Player of the Month.
That strong run of form included a spectacular free kick against Macarthur – a moment that typified Behich’s influence and willingness to take responsibility when his side needed it most.
Now, another significant milestone awaits.
On Saturday night, Behich is set to make his 150th appearance for Melbourne City, becoming just the fourth player in the club’s history to reach the landmark. In doing so, he joins an esteemed group alongside Scott Jamieson, Jamie Maclaren and Curtis Good – a testament to his consistency, longevity and impact across his time with the club.
We’ll be hoping our captain can mark the occasion in fitting fashion, leading the side into 2026 with a performance and result to match the milestone.
Fixture Details
Isuzu UTE A-League: Round 11
Melbourne City FC v Sydney FC
Saturday 3 January, 7:35pm KO
AAMI Park
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