Melbourne Heart's festive season took a turn for the worse early on Boxing Day when its Croatian striker, Josip Tadic, was forbidden from flying to New Zealand with his team-mates for the Thursday clash with Wellington Phoenix.
The forward did not have the requisite visa to travel, so had to wait at the airport while the rest of the Heart party took off.
But club officials were able to make the necessary calls and to ensure the forward had the right papers to allow him to travel to across the ditch on a later flight early on Wednesday afternoon.
Heart is already weakened by the loss of first choice centre backs Simon Colosimo and Patrick Gerhardt to suspension, while Socceroos Aziz Behich and Richard Garcia have been left in Melbourne to give them time to rest and recuperate following their busy schedule through December.
Irishman Steven Gray, a mature age recruit, is likely to be given a Heart debut in the centre of defence alongside teenager David Vrankovic.
Jason Hoffman could come in for Garcia, while younger Sam Mitchinson, who deputised for Behich while the latter was with the Socceroos in Hong Kong, looks the obvious replacement at left back.
Jeremy Walker, who impressed in a couple of games earlier in the year, and newcomer Ersin Kaya, have also been promoted to the matchday squad from the youth team.
Melbourne Victory will also have to do some major reorganisation for Friday night's clash at AAMI Park with Newcastle Jets.
Captain Adrian Leijer picked up a yellow card in the dramatic 2-1 derby win against Heart in the pre-Christmas game and is out suspended, so misses the chance to go head to head with former England striker Emile Heskey.
Mark Milligan would, in normal circumstances, have moved back to defence to cover for Leijer.
But the Socceroo utility is also now banned for two games, the match review panel having handed down the sanction after it convicted him of striking Heart midfielder Jonathan Germano.
Therefore Victory will have to trial a new centre back combination. Teenager Nick Ansell has played the last two games in the spot alongside Leijer and has done enough to retain his position. So Ange Postecoglou will have to choose between the likes of Petar Franjic, Matthew Foschini or youngster Jason Geria for what is likely to be a formidable physical challenge.
Either Leigh Broxham or Jonathan Bru looks set to get the nod to replace Milligan in a revamped midfield.
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