Ninkovic not 100 per cent for Sydney derby

Dec 6, 2017 - 7:11 AM Milos Ninkovic says he'll be given until Friday to prove his fitness for this weekend's A-League Sydney derby but the star Sky Blues playmaker admits he may not be risked in such a physical fixture.

Ninkovic missed Sydney FC's last two games with a calf injury and is racing the clock to get up for Saturday's clash against Western Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

The Johnny Warren medallist returned to normal training on Wednesday, completing most but not all of the session.

However he concedes he's likely to be targeted by a Wanderers side desperate for a first win since the opening round while Sydney may also be reluctant to risk him ahead of a busy summer also featuring the Asian Champions League and with David Carney fit to step in again if needed.

"I feel good, I don't feel pain at the moment," Ninkovic said.

"We'll make decision a day before the game. We have still two more days.

"It's very important because I'm already two weeks out and I just want to play.

"But the derby is always a physical game, you need to be 100 per cent fit to play and help your teammates.

"Maybe at the moment I am not 100 per cent but we'll see."

Ninkovic said he doesn't remember being kicked in the calf during the FFA Cup final, only feeling increasing discomfort afterwards.

"I don't think there was contact, I just start to feel pain maybe after I scored a goal, maybe 10 minutes after that," he said.

"I just start to feel pain, pain, pain. And I thought maybe I can play but in the second half it was very sore. I felt big pain and I couldn't run - I couldn't walk."

Despite Ninkovic's predicament, the Sky Blues are looking good injury-wise.

The Wanderers, on the other hand, will almost certainly be missing striker Oriol Riera and Jaushua Sotirio to hamstring strains, while fellow attacker Mark Bridge is doubtful after his late withdrawal from last weekend's 2-0 loss to Brisbane.

With that in mind, league leaders Sydney are considered favourites in Josep Gombau's first derby as Wanderers coach, though the home side will remember fighting back from two goals down in October's 2-2 result at Allianz Stadium.

Sluggish ticket sales have been slowly warming up, with a crowd of 35,000 to 40,000 expected.

Source: AAP