United v City; Inter v Milan; Victory v Heart? The A-League's first derby finally takes place on Friday as the competition's newest franchise Melbourne Heart hosts foundation club Melbourne Victory.

The league's decision to reschedule the match and avoid clashing with the replayed AFL Grand Final has afforded the game unrivalled exposure. It is the only game in town on Friday night and a capacity crowd of 30,000 is expected to pack into AAMI Park to find out whether bragging rights will belong to the red or blue half of the city.

Both clubs are moderating expectations ahead of the big game, with coaches, players and administrators assuring everyone that the contest is ‘just another three points.' But supporters of both sides know it's more than that - and that's what makes a derby atmosphere so special.

To get a flavour of what the first derby means to supporters of both clubs, BPL met with leading fans - Chris Bentley of Melbourne Victory's South End and Lachlan Wight of Red & White Unite, Melbourne Heart's official supporters association - and found that while the rivalry is growing, expectations are markedly different ahead of the big game.

For Chris, Friday is not yet the most important date in his diary. "I know there are some in the Victory supporter base that are really fired up for it and some people are likening it to an Old Firm match but I think that's a bit much considering we've never played them before. Me personally, I just see it as any other game."

It is however an opportunity for Victory fans to remind their embryonic rivals of their club's history and success. "The fact that we've got 18,000 members, we've got all these trophies, we've been to Grand Finals, topped the league twice. We've done all this stuff. We've been here five years, we've got the biggest crowds in the league and Heart are coming in and really not going to be anything compared to us."

No big deal then? Not for the Heart. Lachlan assures me the match is "easily the biggest game." Why? "At the end of the day a derby is what every team lives for. A lot of fans I know would be happy to do average on the table and beat Victory in the derby and I get the feeling that's what everything is building up to."

Chris expects the rivalry will eventually be as important for Victory as it already is for Heart but that right now Victory fans still regard the contests with Sydney and Adelaide as more relevant. Heart has yet to earn that level of respect.

So what is motivating Victory fans ahead of Friday's all-Melbourne affair? According to Chris, the opportunity to prove Melbourne remains a one-club city. "A lot of Victory fans see Melbourne as their town, and I see it like that as well, that Heart don't belong, they shouldn't be here, and this is our city."

Such territorial pissings are the hallmark of derbies throughout the world and the major factor in creating an atmosphere inside the stadium. For anyone unsure of what to expect, Lachlan assures me the event "will be similar to the A-League Grand Final in intensity." An event Chris believes should not have been hosted first by Heart. "Having us play Heart as an away game first is probably a mistake...there's going to be 10,000 plus Victory fans and a lot less Heart supporters in the stadium and all you're going to hear is Victory. It's going to be a very intimidating atmosphere for anyone that isn't a Melbourne Victory supporter."

And what are people going to hear? "The one team in Melbourne chant. That will be very very loud."

Lachlan hopes the derby will develop a fraternal atmosphere, eschewing the tribal European rivalries in favour of the Australian spirit where supporters of both clubs can sit alongside each other without acrimony. Not that he's ruling out any animosity between both sets of supporters - particularly if Heart triumph.

Faced with Victory's nascent success, appealing to the hearts and minds of Melbourne's football supporters sounds like an unenviable task for a new franchise. Both fans however appreciate that Heart has a lot to give to the A-League and their early strength owes much to dissatisfaction with how Victory has operated both on and off the pitch during recent years.

Heart's commitment to attractive football is something Lachlan is keen to point out as his club's point of difference. "I would much prefer to get three points and play in a way that's attractive to watch than get three points by elbowing someone in the face and breaking their nose...it's about more than just the result, it's about the way you get there and that's what I think the Heart is there for and really trying to do. That's why they're appealing to a certain type of football fan.""The derby is a good chance for the club [Melbourne Heart] to say to those fans that are still on the fence ‘we'll play attractive football, we won't have Kevin Muscat so this is why you want to be part of us'... at the end of the day it's going to come down to the style of play".

Common ground shared by Victory fan Chris. "Let's face it, Ernie Merrick doesn't play the best style of football a lot of the time, you get kind of sick of long balls. I think the Heart will be good a thing, and give Merrick and Victory and other teams that play crap football a good kick up the arse. I really hope it works for them."

Off the pitch, disenchantment with the Victory administration has also prompted a minority of fans to switch allegiances; a point Chris was not shy in making. "There's a few people I know that are really pissed off by how they were treated by Victory, by how the way the club's treated them with regard to the seating arrangements at the new stadium...The customer service by Victory has been very lax these last few seasons and Melbourne Heart are welcoming people with open arms and have dealt with people very very well."

Unsurprisingly, both fans expect their side to prevail on Friday, and with just three points separating them in the league it is difficult to pick a favourite.

Friday's match will not determine the outcome of the A-League but it will shape the footballing landscape within Melbourne. Will the pragmatism of Ernie Merrick and the intimidating Victory support take the honours? Or will John van't Schip's composure lead to Heart's enthusiastic patrons of the beautiful game taking first bragging rights?

Either way, the game marks a footballing watershed in this sport-obsessed city.

No matter what Victory supporters may broadcast on the night, there is now more than one football team in Melbourne.