Sunday's Big Blue between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC is both a rivalry reborn, and one three decades in the making.
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The 47th meeting of Australia's two biggest clubs is also the first where Kevin Muscat and Steve Corica will square off from the dugout.
The pair clashed in the early years of the A-League but have spent far more time together as teammates, sharing locker rooms and game plans.
"We go back a long way," Muscat told AAP.
"A long, long way. I have a lot of respect for Steve."
The pair first met at the Australian Institute of Sport, graduating from the class of 1990.
Long before Mark Milligan, Jamie Maclaren and Martin Boyle came together at Hibernian, or Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka set the English Premier League scoring charts alight at Leeds United, the pair of 45-year-olds forged an Australian bond at Wolverhampton.
"At Wolves we were together. But before then, the AIS. The Under 20s and the World Cup in Portugal," Muscat reeled off.
"Then the national team. Olympic team.
"He's a very nice guy. One thing everyone recognises with Steve; he has a great career. Now I wish him well in his coaching career."
Except, that is, on Sunday.
Outside the dugouts, there's plenty of change among both Victory and the Sky Blues.
No fewer than 13 of the combatants in Victory's epic extra-time 3-2 semi-final triumph have moved on or find themselves on the injury list for their meeting at Kogarah's Jubilee Stadium.
It should be the first time Victory can field all three of their new imports; Keisuke Honda, Ola Toivonen and Raul Baena.
Baena and Toivonen have trained strongly in the international break after injuries, while Honda travelled to Cambodia to continue his fledgling coaching career.
Toivonen's recovery is timely, given Victory have been handed an eight-week timeline to recovery for fill-in forward Jai Ingham.
"He's done everything to put himself in a position where he wants to start," Muscat said of his Swedish striker.
"He's chomping at the bit because he wanted to start the season four weeks ago."
While some things change, others stay the same.
Carl Valeri, likely to forfeit his place in the side for Baena, said Victory were expecting a tough fight against their rivals, as always.
"They're fantastic games, I love playing in them," he said.
"The first step is to be up for the battle because it is a battle in there."
Australian Associated Press
