In-form Fornaroli only getting started

Fornaroli, 36, wound back the clock with his four first-half goal in the Victory’s 5-3 home win over the Jets last Sunday.

And much to Popovic’s satisfaction, there hasn’t been a hint of complacency from the Uruguay-born Socceroos attacker on training paddock this week.

“He looks very confident, very at ease with himself and what’s been pleasing for all of this week is he’s looked very good in training, he wants to continue, he wants to keep contributing and playing his part in the team in our continual development, and trying to keep climbing up the table, ” Popovic said.

In terms the Victory’s ascension up the ladder. Popovic’s men can only go one place higher – first – with a win over Adelaide at AAMI Park.

It’s only the Reds’ superior goal difference – thanks mainly to their 6-0 thrashing of Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium last Sunday night – that has them ahead of the Victory, with both teams searching for a hat-trick of wins this weekend to open their season.

“It’s a fantastic football match against Adelaide – there’s a huge rivalry between the clubs,” Popovic said.

“We’re paying at home again after a successful performance and result last week. We want to build on that with a big crowd here supporting us.

“We’re full of belief that we can get another win.”

Reds coach Carl Veart tipped his confident group of players to rise to the occasion against Adelaide’s biggest rivals.

“We make sure that we encourage how much we hate Victorians,” Veart said.

“Even though we’ve got a couple in the team, we make sure they come over to the South Australian side fairly quickly.

“For us we take it fairly seriously.”

Veart predicted the Victory would be tough to break down defensively on Saturday night.

“They’re always a well-organised side under ‘Poppa’,” he said.

“It’s important that we have our focus on how we want to stop them and play our football as well.”

Popovic admitted his Victory side needed to fix some defensive issues after conceding three goals against the Jets.

“There are some areas that we need to address in terms of our defending,” the Victory mentor said.

“We’re happy with (last weekend’s) win, acknowledging that we need to improve, which is the norm with us.

Originally published as Melbourne Victory ace Bruno Fornaroli hungry for more goals after four-star performance against Newcastle