It'll be the 67th competitive meeting between the two clubs with the Sky Blues edging the Victory out 26 wins to 21, and after the pair traded victories last season, it has been more than two years since a Big Blue was won by a visiting team.
New Sydney FC recruit Ben Garuccio has more than 200 games of experience in Australia and has enjoyed more wins over Melbourne Victory (11) than any other club except Perth Glory (14), even scoring and/or assisting in his last two appearances against them with Western United including a thrilling 4-3 victory last season.
Few if any players could claim to have tasted the full smorgasboard of rivalries with the Victory, having spent time at their original rivals Adelaide United during 2016/17 and 2017/18 either sides of stints at Melbourne Heart/City, where he featured in seven Melbourne derbies and didn't lose a single one (W5, D2).
"Melbourne Victory has always been a fiery game, wherever I've played," Garuccio said to reporters on Monday.
"Victory has been a team that I've never really liked too much in the league so they're always big games and it's no different here with Sydney FC.
"I'm really looking forward to it. The atmosphere at Leichhardt has been really good. I've been watching on from the stands and have seen some really good turnouts and results so hopefully it continues that way."
The former Western United captain was handed a lifeline by Sydney FC following his previous club's move into 'hibernation' and hopes to make his debut for his new club this weekend, having so far sat out the season with a muscle injury.
"It has taken a bit longer than I would have like, but that's the nature of the pre-season I've had. I'm hoping to get things under way now."
