Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Melbourne: Melbourne Victory defender Adrian Leijer has expressed his disappointment at missing out Saturday’s AFC Champions League play-off against Thailand’s Muangthong United, which takes place in his hometown of Geelong.
The 27-year-old former Fulham defender suffered fractures to his eye socket, cheekbone and nose after being accidently kicked in the face at the end of Victory’s 3-1 win over ACL qualifiers Central Coast Mariners and is expected to be out of action for a month.
“You don’t like missing any game but this one, being down in Geelong in front of my family and friends, it would have been fantastic to be out there,” said Leijer, who as a teenager lived in the coastal town of Jan Juc, located approximately 26km to the north of Geelong, and played for the youth team of Geelong SC.
Speaking to the Herald Sun Leijer, pictured in action in the 2011 ACL against Gamba Osaka, added: “All I can do now is support the boys because it is such a massive game for our club and hopefully we can get over the line.
“I really hope that the Geelong public get out and support the club and support football in general because it’s a massive football community down there and I’m sure that they have aspirations of one day having a team of their own.”
Melbourne Victory’s ACL play-off with Muangthong United is the first major match to be played at Kardinia Park since Victory’s 2007 pre-season friendly with Newcastle.
The winners of Saturday’s fixture will book their place in Group G of the 2014 AFC Champions League, alongside title holders Guangzhou Evergrande, 2006 ACL champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos.
Photo: AFP