Head-to-head
12 A-League meetings: Adelaide - 5 wins, Melbourne - 4 wins, 3 draws

Previous meeting
Melbourne Victory 2, Adelaide United 2, Telstra Dome, Hyundai A-League, Round 16, December 2007

Previous Pre-season Cup Results
Melbourne:
2007: Eighth (Lost to Sydney 1-0 in seventh-place playoff)
2006: Fifth (Defeated Perth 1-0 in fifth-place playoff)
2005: Semi-finals (Lost to Central Coast 3-1)

Adelaide:
2007: Champions (defeated Perth Glory 2-1 in final at Hindmarsh Stadium)
2006: Champions (defeated Central Coast 5-4 on penalties in final at Bluetongue Stadium)
2005: Group Stage (three matches for three draws, third in Group A)

Analysis
Of all the teams in the Hyundai A-League, no two are more familiar with each other than Adelaide and Melbourne. To add to the fact they have played each other 12 times in the A-League, they have also met three times in the Pre-Season Cup. Not to mention they also played four trials matches against one another during their recent Asian Champions League campaigns.

While both sides feature a few new faces, Ernie Merrick and Aurelio Vidmar will know what to expect of one another and that will probably affect the way the game is played in what is becoming a traditional pipe-opener for both sides. The expected cold conditions in the Apple Isle will make this a tough opening for both, but this will be more about process than outcomes and we can expect both teams to try out a few new things.

Melbourne have recruited two new imports, Brazilian Ney Fabiano and Costa Rica's Jose Luis Lopez coming in for Leandro Love and Joseph Keenan. Other changes from the end of the 2007/08 season have seen Adrian Caceres, Daniel Piorkowski, Kaz Patafta and Ljubo Milicevic depart and Michael Thwaite, Billy Celeski, Tom Pondeljak and Nathan Elasi arrive.

Kevin Muscat will miss with a hamstring injury, while Archie Thompson, Billy Celeski and Leigh Broxham are on Olympics duty. Grant Brebner is still recovering from a groin injury which prevented him from playing in the Asian Champions League, while Carlos Hernandez (knee) and Daniel Vasilevski (hip) are other non-starters.

Adelaide have continued their love affair for all things Brazilian in the off-season, recruiting Alamao and Cristiano to join Diego and Cassio to make up the international contingent. Mark Birighetti, Sasa Ognenovski, Daniel Mullen and Scott Jamieson are the other arrivals.

Young guns Bruce Djite and Nathan Burns have gone to Europe, Richie Alagich has retired, while Robert Bajic, Milan Susak and Dez Giraldi have been released and Bobby Petta and Shaun Ontong have also left.

Adelaide have an awesome record in this competition and are looking for a hat-trick of Pre-Season Cup titles, beginning with this match. Melbourne's record has been less convincing, with their best efforts a semi-finals appearance in 2005. This is the third time the teams have met in Launceston, with Adelaide winning the first encounter and the teams sharing the honours last time.

Melbourne Victory Squad: 1.Michael THEOKLITOS (gk), 3.Michael THWAITE, 4.Steven PACE, 5.Sebastian RYALL, 6.Steve PANTELIDIS, 7.Matthew KEMP, 9.Danny ALLSOPP, 11.NEY FABIANO, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 13.Nathan ELASI, 15.Tom PONDELJAK, 19.Evan BERGER, 20.Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), 22.Nick WARD, 24.Semir SIVIC (on trial)

Unavailable: 2.Kevin MUSCAT (hamstring – 2 weeks), 8.Grant BREBNER (groin – indefinite), 10.Archie THOMPSON (international duty – 4 weeks), 14.Billy CELESKI (international duty – 4 weeks), 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ (quad – 2 weeks) 18.Leigh BROXHAM (international duty – 4 weeks), 21.Daniel VASILEVSKI (hip – 6 weeks)

Adelaide United Squad: 20. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 2.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 3. ALEMAO, 4. Angelo COSTANZO, 5. Michael VALKANIS, 6.CASSIO, 9. Paul AGOSTINO, 10. CRISTIANO, 13.Travis DODD, 14. Scott JAMIESON, 15.Jonas SALLEY, 16.Daniel MULLEN, 18.Fabian BARBIERO, 21.Jason SPAGNUOLO, 22. DIEGO, 30 Mark BIRIGHITTI (gk) * 1 to be omitted

Unavailable: Kristian SARKIES (Qantas U23 duty), Daniel BELTRAME (knee – 6 weeks), Isyan ERDOGAN (hamstring – indefinite), Lucas PANTELIS, Sasa OGNENOVSKI (both suspended – 1 game)