Popa says Wanderers benefiting from Spain's financial woe

Western Sydney Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said the new Spanish flavour at Wanderland is not by design, but rather a by product of the Eurozone's financial woes.

Tony Popovic has added a splash of Spanish flair to his Western Sydney Wanderers side this year. (Getty) Source: Getty Images

As part of an enormous squad upheaval in the off-season, Popovic has signed three players - Andreu, Dimas Delgado and Alberto Aguilar - with extensive experience in Spain's top two leagues, while hiring another Spaniard - Andres Carrasco - as assistant coach.

Fans are set to get an early glimpse of their potential for the club with all three Spanish players in line to face Brisbane Roar in Tuesday night's FFA Cup tie at Pepper Stadium in Penrith.

Popovic denied suggestions he had taken a leaf out of A-League rival Adelaide United's book by looking to the Iberian Peninsula for on-field inspiration.

"I wouldn't say it's planned," Popovic said. "We look all over the world all the time.

"Two years ago I went to Spain and tried to sign a couple of players.

"Maybe with the economic situation in Europe now we have a chance to sign them. Two years ago when I tried, it didn't work out."

The Wanderers have also signed Federico Piovaccari as their marquee player but Popovic said the Italian striker was still building his fitness base and would not play against Roar.

Both sides are still very early in their pre-season and will be missing key players due to injury - Western Sydney's Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Jonathan Aspropotamitis are sidelined, while Brisbane will be without the likes of Luke DeVere, Henrique, Michael Theo and Steven Lustica.

Roar coach John Aloisi said his side's pre-season has been productive despite the ownership saga that threatens to see the club wound up by August 19, if a $60,000 debt with the Queensland Rugby Union is not settled.

"We all know it's not ideal to have the club up in the air a little bit," Aloisi said.

"It will come to a head, it has to.

"It's out of our hands, it's for the people upstairs. On the football side we can only make sure the environment's good for the players, and it is."

In Tuesday night's other FFA Cup matches, Central Coast Mariners hosts Wellington Phoenix, the new-look Newcastle Jets takes on Perth Glory, and the Cairns-based Far North Queensland Heat travels south for a meeting with Victorian state-league team Oakleigh Cannons.