Western United are prepared to go toe-to-toe with their former player Nicolas Milanovic when they face Western Sydney Wanderers.
Milanovic scored five goals in 36 games for United before returning to Western Sydney, citing homesickness, partway through his breakout A-League Men campaign last season, as part of a swap deal with Ramy Najjarine.
The 21-year-old was the bright spark in the Wanderers' opening 0-0 draw with Wellington, and shapes as a thorn in his former club's side on Saturday at CommBank Stadium.
United, coming off a 2-1 win over Melbourne City, also lost speedster Dylan Pierias to former coach Marko Rudan's Wanderers.
"Milo was here for a few years, very young when he arrived. He missed home, he missed his family, and the opportunity arose for him to go back home, so we understood that," United coach John Aloisi said.
"Dylan, we would have liked him to have stayed, but he decided to go elsewhere, so we also accept that as part of football.
"Milo really improved over that short period when I was here, and then started last season really well and then scored a lot of goals for us.
"We know both Dylan and Milo really well, so we don't have to speak too much about them in the pre-game or in the analysis.
"We know their qualities. We know what they're good at, their strengths, so we have to be aware of that."
Given Milos Ninkovic is touch-and-go to return, Milanovic will probably have extra responsibility, alongside Brandon Borrello, in sparking the Wanderers' attack.
Wanderers coach and former United mentor Marko Rudan insisted Milanovic wouldn't be overthinking facing his old side.
"He's a Western Sydney Wanderer and he's a western Sydney boy - that's something we want to project," he said.
"He played all his football in the west, and was at Western Sydney Wanderers until unfortunately he was told he wasn't good enough.
"I always knew that there was something in him as well, that's why I bought him when I was at Western United, and I brought him to this club as well.
"He's a proud Westie and represents the club in the right manner.
"He just needs to keep building and keep his feet firmly planted on the ground and not worry too much about the external noise."
