Auckland a ‘strong favourite’ in Kiwi derby

Wellington coach Giancarlo Italiano has hit back at claims from his Auckland FC counterpart Steve Corica that all the pressure will be on the Phoenix in Saturday’s New Zealand derby, saying the cashed-up new A-League outfit was a “strong favourite”.

Auckland has started its inaugural season with back-to-back home wins but will hit the road for the first time in taking on the Phoenix – also unbeaten with a win and draw – at Sky Stadium.

“The pressure’s all on them at home,” Corica said.

“There’s a little bit of pressure off us going to their ground first, so we’ll try to make the most of that.”

Corica’s comments stunned Italiano, who was quick to out the financial strength of the Black Knights, whose majority owner is American billionaire Bill Foley.

“I don’t think they’ve left New Zealand yet, (and) we’ve just come back from Perth.

“I would say with the money that he (Corica) has available for players and so on, he’s a strong favourite.”

Corica said it was Auckland’s mission to “steal the points” this weekend in whatever way was needed.

“We want to play good football as normal but it is going to be passionate. We have to make it that way. It is a derby game,” the former Sydney FC title-winning coach said.

“At Sydney we liked to be at the top when I was there. We’ve always been the hunted. It’s no different.”

Italiano urged Phoenix fans to turn out in force to ensure a crowd of more than 30,000.

“We need to fill the stadium. We need to show what Wellington football is about,” he said.

“We need to give the fans something to be proud of. There needs to be good energy from the players. It’s a celebration.”

The Phoenix will be without skipper Alex Rufer, who injured his knee in the dying stages of Wellington’s 2-0 away win over Perth last Saturday.

“It was an inflamed bursa and the swelling and the stiffness hasn’t gone down, so it’d be a risk to play him,” Italiano said.

“He was hugely disappointed. (It’s) such a big event for us, the first derby.

“I would have loved to see him part of it.”

Auckland’s side will include former Phoenix goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, who left Wellington at the end of last season to join English Premier League club Bournemouth – which is also owned by Foley – only to return to New Zealand on loan to Auckland.

“He’s going back to his old club, he’s going to get booed,” Corica said.

“That’s part and parcel of football these days. He will be fine.”