2020–21 A-League

The 2020–21 A-League was the 44th season of national level soccer in Australia, and the 16th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. The season was started on 28 December 2020 and concluded with the Grand Final on 27 June 2021. The start of the season was later than previous seasons as a result of both the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand. Wellington Phoenix played the majority of their home matches at Wollongong Showground in Wollongong due to international travel restrictions.

Sydney FC were the defending champions and premiers, having won their record fifth and fourth titles respectively the previous season. Melbourne City won their first premiership and championship title, leaving Sydney FC in second on both.

Clubs

There were 12 clubs participating in this season. Macarthur FC made their A-League debut this season. ClubCityHome stadium(s)CapacityAdelaide UnitedAdelaideCoopers Stadium16,500Brisbane RoarBrisbaneMoreton Daily Stadium11,500Central Coast MarinersGosfordCentral Coast Stadium20,059Macarthur FCSydneyCampbelltown Stadium20,000Melbourne CityMelbourneAAMI Park30,050Melbourne VictoryMelbourneMarvel Stadium56,347AAMI Park30,050Newcastle JetsNewcastleMcDonald Jones Stadium33,000Coffs HarbourC.ex Coffs International Stadium20,000Perth GloryPerthHBF Park20,500Sydney FCSydneyStadium Australia83,500Sydney Cricket Ground48,601Netstrata Jubilee Stadium20,500Leichhardt Oval20,000Wellington PhoenixAucklandEden Park50,000WellingtonSky Stadium34,500NewcastleMcDonald Jones Stadium33,000WollongongWIN Stadium23,000Western Sydney WanderersSydneyBankwest Stadium30,000Western UnitedGeelongGMHBA Stadium26,000MelbourneAAMI Park30,050LauncestonUTAS Stadium19,000BallaratMars Stadium11,000

Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit sponsor Adelaide United Carl Veart Stefan Mauk UCAN Flinders UniversityAustralian Outdoor Living Brisbane Roar Warren Moon Tom Aldred Umbro ActronAir Central Coast Mariners Alen Stajcic Oliver Bozanic Umbro MasterfoodsMATE Macarthur FC Ante Milicic Mark Milligan Macron Wisdom Homes Melbourne City Patrick Kisnorbo Scott Jamieson Puma Etihad Airways Melbourne Victory Steve Kean (caretaker) Leigh Broxham Adidas Metricon Newcastle Jets Craig Deans Nigel Boogaard Apelle Inspirations Paint Perth Glory Richard Garcia Diego Castro Macron BHP Sydney FC Steve Corica Alex Wilkinson Under Armour The Star Wellington Phoenix Ufuk Talay Ulises Dávila Paladin Sports KPMGMulti Civil and Rail Western Sydney Wanderers Carl Robinson Dylan McGowan Kappa VoltarenJD Sports Western United Marko Rudan Alessandro Diamanti Kappa Simonds HomesTasman Logistics

Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position on table Incoming manager Date of appointment Macarthur FCInaugural manager Pre-season 15 May 2019 Melbourne Victory (caretaker) Promoted to full time 24 August 2020 24 August 2020 Perth Glory Signed by Xanthi 27 August 2020 (caretaker) 2 September 2020 Melbourne City Resigned 3 September 2020 3 September 2020 Adelaide United (caretaker) Promoted to full time 18 September 2020 18 September 2020 Perth Glory (caretaker) End of contract 18 September 2020 18 September 2020 Western Sydney Wanderers Sacked 12 October 2020 15 October 2020 Newcastle Jets Signed by Western Sydney Wanderers 15 October 2020 16 October 2020 Melbourne Victory Sacked 17 April 2021 12th (caretaker)19 April 2021

Foreign players Club Visa 1 Visa 2 Visa 3 Visa 4 Visa 5 Non-visa foreigner(s) Former player(s) Adelaide United Michael Jakobsen Juande Javi López Pacifique Niyongabire2 Brisbane Roar Macaulay Gillesphey Jay O'Shea Riku Danzaki Masato Kudo Tom Aldred Jamie Young2 Joe Champness2 Jack Hingert2 Jai Ingham2 Central Coast Mariners Marco Ureña Michał Janota Stefan Janković Dan Hall2 Gianni Stensness2 Macarthur FC Matt Derbyshire Loïc Puyo Beñat Markel Susaeta Antonis Martis2 Melbourne City Craig Noone Florin Berenguer Naoki Tsubaki Nuno Reis Adrián Luna Stefan Colakovski2 Daniel Georgievski2 Melbourne Victory Rudy Gestede Jacob Butterfield Callum McManaman Marco Rojas Elvis Kamsoba2 Adama Traoré1 Max Crocombe2 Storm Roux2 Ryan Shotton Newcastle Jets Ali Abbas1 Roy O'Donovan1 Valentino Yuel2 Syahrian Abimanyu Liridon Krasniqi Perth Glory Darryl Lachman Sebastian Langkamp Kosuke Ota Diego Castro Bruno Fornaroli Andy Keogh1 Dane Ingham2 Sydney FC Bobô Adam Le Fondre Alexander Baumjohann Kosta Barbarouses Miloš Ninković Wellington Phoenix David Ball Steven Taylor Tomer Hemed Ulises Dávila Western Sydney Wanderers Jordon Mutch Nicolai Müller Graham Dorrans Ziggy Gordon Patrick Ziegler1 Simon Cox Daniel Georgievski2 Western United Alessandro Diamanti Tomoki Imai Filip Kurto Iker Guarrotxena Víctor Sánchez Kaine Sheppard1 Besart Berisha1 Andrew Durante2 The following do not fill a Visa position: 1Those players who were born and started their professional career abroad but have since gained Australian citizenship (or New Zealand citizenship, in the case of Wellington Phoenix); 2Australian citizens (or New Zealand citizens, in the case of Wellington Phoenix) who have chosen to represent another national team; 3Injury replacement players, or National team replacement players; 4Guest players (eligible to play a maximum of fourteen games)

Salary cap exemptions and captains Club First Designated Second Designated Captain Vice-Captain Adelaide United None None Stefan Mauk Jordan Elsey Ben Halloran Brisbane Roar None None Tom Aldred None Central Coast Mariners Daniel De Silva None Oliver Bozanic None Macarthur FC Mark Milligan None Mark Milligan None Melbourne City Jamie Maclaren None Scott Jamieson None Melbourne Victory Robbie Kruse None Leigh Broxham None Newcastle Jets None None Nigel Boogaard Nikolai Topor-Stanley Perth Glory Diego Castro Bruno Fornaroli Diego Castro Neil Kilkenny Sydney FC None None Alex Wilkinson None Wellington Phoenix Tomer Hemed None Ulises Dávila Alex Rufer Western Sydney Wanderers None None Dylan McGowan None Western United Alessandro Diamanti None Alessandro Diamanti Tomislav Uskok

Transfers

Regular season The regular season commenced on 28 December 2020 and ended on 10 June 2021.

League table

Fixtures and results

Finals series

Elimination-finals

Semi-finals

Grand Final

Statistics Top scorers Including Finals matches RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jamie MaclarenMelbourne City252 Matt DerbyshireMacarthur FC143 Bruno FornaroliPerth Glory134 BobôSydney FC125 Tomer HemedWellington Phoenix116 Matt SimonCentral Coast Mariners107 Kosta BarbarousesSydney FC9 Riku DanzakiBrisbane Roar Tomi JuricAdelaide United Bruce KamauWestern Sydney Wanderers

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Ref. Matt Derbyshire Macarthur FC Adelaide United 4–0 (H) Tomi JuricAdelaide UnitedCentral Coast Mariners 3–2 (H) Jamie Maclaren5Melbourne CityMelbourne Victory7–0 (H) Andy Keogh4Perth GloryWestern Sydney Wanderers5–1 (H)

Key4Player scored four goals5Player scored five goals(H)Home team

Awards Annual awards The following end of the season awards were announced at the 2020–21 Dolan Warren Awards night on 23 June 2021. Johnny Warren Medal – Ulises Dávila, Wellington Phoenix & Miloš Ninković, Sydney FC NAB Young Footballer of the Year – Joel King, Sydney FC Nike Golden Boot Award – Jamie Maclaren, Melbourne City (25 goals) Goalkeeper of the Year – Mark Birighitti, Central Coast Mariners & Andrew Redmayne, Sydney FC Coach of the Year – Patrick Kisnorbo, Melbourne City Fair Play Award – Brisbane Roar Referee of the Year – Chris Beath Goal of the Year – Andy Keogh, Perth Glory (Perth Glory v Western Sydney Wanderers, 16 May 2021)

Team of the season Team of the season Goalkeeper Adam Federici (Macarthur FC) Defenders Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC) Ruon Tongyik (Central Coast Mariners) Curtis Good (Melbourne City) Scott Jamieson (Melbourne City) Midfielders Oliver Bozanic (Central Coast Mariners) Ulises Dávila (Wellington Phoenix) Connor Metcalfe (Melbourne City) Forwards Matt Derbyshire (Macarthur FC) Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City) Craig Noone (Melbourne City) Substitutes Mark Birighitti (Central Coast Mariners) Ryan Strain (Adelaide United) Luke Brattan (Sydney FC) Matt Simon (Central Coast Mariners) Ryan McGowan (Sydney FC) Miloš Ninković (Sydney FC) Jay O'Shea (Brisbane Roar)

2020–21 A-League

Bron en licentie