We don’t want to go down in history as the team who won the Asian Champions League one year and the wooden spoon the next.

For that reason we have everything to play for against Perth Glory this weekend.

On paper, it might seem like a bit of a ‘‘dead rubber’’ but on the pitch it will be far from it for all the boys in red and black.

We have a lot of pride at stake and are determined to end this rollercoaster A-League campaign on a high. 

Not just for us, but for the fans who have stuck with us through thick and thin at Wanderland all season.

At the moment, the club is just one point clear of the Newcastle Jets.

They will be just as determined to move off the bottom rung and face a Brisbane Roar outfit who will have their eyes on their next Asian Champions League match with their A-League finals spot already sealed.

With that match 24 hours before our home clash, we will have a good idea of our fate before kick-off. 

Nevertheless, it won’t change the way we prepare for our meeting with the Glory.

A win on Saturday would be the perfect way to end a difficult week for the club.

Tuesday’s 2-1 loss in the Asian Champions League was undoubtedly disappointing for everyone.

The first half performance was ultra impressive and perhaps we could have been more goals to the good at half-time.

Unfortunately, that intensity and attacking flair dropped in the second half.

Kashima pinned us back and got their reward with a heartbreaking late goal.

It makes our life very hard to stay alive in the competition.

A win in our final group game and a draw in the other fixture is the only way we can keep this title defence alive.

We’ll need to do all that travelling away from home to face one of the biggest clubs in Asia.

Guangzhou Evergrande have won both of their home group games so far and have qualified for the next round.

It’s no secret the challenge which lies ahead. Yet we need only look north to remind ourselves it remains achievable.

Brisbane kept their ACL hopes alive on Tuesday with a gutsy away 1-0 win against Beijing Guoan in China.

They, too, need the results in the other group game to go their way but have the advantage of a home crowd against Urawa Red Diamonds.

It ensures it all remains up in the air for the Australian clubs at this point for that final match day on May 5.

As it  unfolds, the Melbourne Victory will be watching very closely.

They should, barring a disaster, wrap up the Premier’s Plate this weekend which will guarantee their spot in next year’s ACL group stage.

Both the plate and qualification are a great result for the Victory.

They’ve been the competition’s most dominant team in 2014-15 and are surely motivated to test themselves against some of Asia’s best players and clubs.

It will be interesting to see how they stack up if they are given the chance in six months’ time.

If this season’s form is anything to go by, they would have to give themselves a good chance of progressing and causing a few headaches along the way.