Marco Tilio has finished his loan spell at Melbourne City in the best way possible, helping his team win the A-League Grand Final this afternoon. They beat their city rivals Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a close game, with Tilio playing the full match.

The Australian winger joined Celtic in the summer of 2023 but didn’t get much game time. Injuries and strong competition made it hard for him to break into the first team. So, he went back to Melbourne City on loan to get regular football and build his confidence.

That move has worked out well. Tilio’s return to Melbourne City has been nothing short of a big turnaround. He had struggled at Celtic, but back in Australia, he’s looked like the player that first caught attention. In just 14 games, he scored four goals and set up five more. He’s been direct, creative, and sharp—playing a big part in City’s strong finish to the season.

𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝘾𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝘽𝙊𝙔𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 𝙊𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝘼𝙂𝘼𝙄𝙉!#MCYvMVC | #ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/ypRk4vCoVx

— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) May 31, 2025

Since mid-February, Melbourne City’s form has improved significantly. His pace, skill, and eye for goal made a real difference. The Grand Final win was the perfect way to end what’s been a very good spell back home.

Tilio has been named in the Australia squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers—first facing Japan on home soil before a trip to take on Saudi Arabia away.

Following his international duties, the winger will have a short break before rejoining the Celtic squad. With several other first-team players also involved in national team fixtures, pre-season preparations at Lennoxtown are not expected to get underway for a few more weeks. That leaves Tilio with a tiny bit of breathing room before he reports back to Glasgow.

Tilio is still a Celtic player, and after this strong run of form, he might now be ready to play a bigger role. With confidence high and fitness back, he’ll be looking to make an impact when he returns to Glasgow.