Riera's raring to go for Western Sydney Wanderers

Oriol Riera is a man on a mission to help the Western Sydney Wanderers return to A-League contenders status.

Oriol Riera is set to give A-League defences around the country a tough time this season. Source: SBS

Oriol Riera grew up in Barcelona's famed football academy alongside the likes of Messi, Piquet and Iniesta.

But after a few years with Osasuna and Deportivo La Coruna, he's now in Sydney on a two year stint in a bid to reinvigorate his and the Wanderers' fortunes. 

As the saying goes: You make your own luck in football. He is out to do just that on his Sydney adventure. 

His wife and two young daughters are heading to Australia to join him next month, and they're central to his decision to leave Spain.

He told SBS World News, "For them its the best situation we can have, and for me also."

At 31 years of age, Riera is looking to win trophies in the A-League, but he's also got one eye on his life after his playing days come to an end.

Oriol Riera at training with Lionel Messi at Barcelona's world famous La Masia Academy Source: Internet: bongdaplus.vn/tin-bai/19/69278/messi-oriol-riera-ra-mat-cung-ngay-khong-chung-so-phan.bdplus

"In the future I want to be a coach so its important to learn about other styles."

He plays down his years at the Barcelona Academy, known as La Masia. He played with global figures such as Lionel Messi, Piquet,  and  Cesc Fabregas but he's more concerned with his future than happy memories.

Helping the Wanderers end a run of recruiting imports that haven't achieved as expected such as Vitor Saba,  Federico Pioviccari and Dino Kreisinger, is important to him.

He told SBS World News: "I'm here because I believe in this project and I want success here."

Judging by his debut when he came off the bench in front of 83,000 fans against Arsenal in Sydney last weekend, that success may not be too far away.