Make no mistake, the Melbourne derby in the A-League is quickly becoming the best sporting rivalry of any code in the country. 

The days of hatred between inner suburban rivals in AFL and rugby league are long gone – and the A-League has become the main benefactor.

While the Sydney derby is gathering force, the battle between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City is the match that tops all others and is on the cusp of taking over as the best rivalry in the land.

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Just last year, more than 50,000 fans flocked to Etihad Stadium for the first final between the two Melbourne clubs, while crowd numbers exceeded 40,000 on three other occasions in the past two seasons. 

Saturday night’s epic clash – arguably the match of the season – drew 25,738 people through the gates at AAMI Park.

These are genuine A-League fans too, with the energetic chants, clever banter and even occasional flare adding fuel to the fire that goes hand in hand with the non-stop excitement on the pitch.

“You can feel the difference in noise levels at these games,” acting Victory captain Leigh Broxham told The New Daily last week ahead of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against City.

Victory veteran Archie Thompson has brought in the crowds since the A-League’s inception. Photo: AAP

“The atmosphere is electric and both sets of fans obviously want their team to win.

“As big as the derbies have become, I think these games will get bigger each year, and hopefully we can continue to play in front of packed stadiums.”

But it’s not just the passionate crowds that make the derby a great spectacle, as the players who go out to battle also play their part.

Over the years, Archie Thompson has been the one mainstay within the derby framework and no player has scored more goals in the fixture than the charismatic Victory veteran.   

Arguably his most famous derby goal was in season eight when he collected a Marco Rojas through ball, before expertly chipping Melbourne Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton deep into stoppage time to clinch a 2-1 triumph for Victory.

His celebration that night showed us exactly what the derby means to him and no one in the history of the A-League has proven themselves on the big stage more than the evergreen 37-year-old.

If Thompson is the one player who has shaped the derby, then Albanian Besart Berisha isn’t far behind him.

The confident striker has scored seven goals from six derby appearances, with his hat-trick against Melbourne City in his first derby clash last season perhaps his best.

Melbourne City defender Patrick Kisnorbo downplayed the significance of the clash. Photo: AAP

There are no Archie Thompsons or Besart Berishas in Melbourne City’s line-up, but in Patrick Kisnorbo they have a reliable defender that has played in many big derby matches over the world.

The current skipper has been with City since 2013 and has seen his club try and wrest the balance of power in Melbourne – unsuccessfully so far – from Victory in recent times.

Kisnorbo played for current Premier League leaders Leicester City and former powerhouse Leeds United before joining City, but downplayed the significance of taking on Victory when quizzed about the importance of the Melbourne derby last year.

“For us it is another game. It doesn’t matter if it’s a derby or not, at the end of the day it’s 90 minutes of two teams,” Kisnorbo said before City’s 2-1 win over Victory in December.

Another fiery, but magnificent spectacle

Melbourne Victory fans responded to the team’s first-half equaliser in the Melbourne Derby by letting off flares at AAMI Park. Photo: AAP

The two rivals again threw everything at each other in a frantic derby at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

On a night of high drama that ended in a 2-2 draw, there was stunning play, refereeing controversy and more concerns about fans’ behaviour.

Two fantastic goals from City star Bruno Fornaroli – the first of which had to be seen to be believed – were worth waiting for.

There were cards – eight yellow and one red – and there was controversy when Gui Finkler’s free-kick was not seen to have crossed the line.

But the match also came with more unruly fan behaviour at a time when the league needs it the least, just days after FFA fined Western Sydney Wanderers $50,000 and imposed a suspended three-point penalty following Wanderers fans letting off flares in last Saturday’s match against the Victory.

One thing’s for sure, though, the next instalment of Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory will be worth watching to see what happens as the best sporting rivalry of any code in Australia continues to burn.

-with ABC