Celebrations cut short for City’s Championship heroes: Tilio, Trewin, Behich called to Socceroos.
Lachlan Avil 
Championship celebrations will be put on hold for Marco Tilio as he links up with the Socceroos. Photo: Marcus Robertson / Round Ball Australia.
Melbourne City’s A-League Champions heroes Marco Tilio, Kai Trewin and Aziz Behich will have to cut their title celebrations short as they travel to Perth on Sunday morning after being selected in Tony Popovic’s Socceroos squad to take on Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Two of City’s best players on the park in last night’s first ever A-Leagues Melbourne Derby Grand Final, the pair were made to strike a fine balance between celebrating an extraordinary achievement for their club, with ensuring proper preparation for what will be two crucially important World Cup qualifiers.
“I want to do everything I can to help the team qualify for another World Cup,” said Tilio post match.
“I took everything in from last camp and put myself in a position now where I feel I’m better for it and I just want to execute everything that I know that I can and put myself in the position to hopefully be in the squad and play.
“It’s at that time now that I put myself in a position to play well, get an opportunity, do well and hopefully cement a spot in there.”
His teammate Kai Trewin, who has been a rock all season for City since making his move from the Brisbane Roar last campaign, is ready to fulfil whatever role Tony Popovic has for him.
“[My aim is to] just go in there and try to put my best foot forward. However the boss wants to use me – if it’s just in a training capacity or however it is, I’m ready to go in there and give it my all,” said Trewin.
“To be in the conversation for the national team is a massive honour for me and to go in there and get that experience, I can’t wait.”
City captain and Socceroo lock Aziz Behich will also return to the national team.
The Joe Marston medalist Mathew Leckie is an unfortunate exclusion, set to be named in this squad but having to deal with not only a nasty gash to his nose, but a hamstring strain as well sustained in midweek will keep him out.
From the other side of the Grand Final, Melbourne Victory’s Ryan Teague and Daniel Arzani make their returns to the national team setup whilst emerging left back Kasey Bos is a surprise inclusion.
Unfortunately Nishan Velupillay’s injury sustained in the second leg of Victory’s semi-final triumph over Auckland FC was too much to recover from for this window.