Auckland City have lured former Phoenix midfielder Albert Riera out of retirement for the upcoming national league football season.
The Spaniard and former paramedic terminated the final year of his contract with the Phoenix in May.
The 32-year-old Riera played for Auckland City for three seasons before joining the Phoenix.
Former Phoenix mid-fielder Albert Riera (right) has been lured out of retirement. Photo: Photosport
"Its great to have a player of Albert's experience. He can give us a different dimension to our game. He not only gives us something different with the ball but also without it," said coach Ramon Tribulietx
"Albert's a very smart player and proved he can compete at A-League standard and be one of the best players in the competition."
Auckland City will play a friendly against A-League side Melbourne City on Sunday.
Their first match in the domestic national league is against Waitakere United on October 16th.
In December they will play the winner J.League in Yokohama in a playoff for the World Club Championships with the winner advancing to a clash with the winners of Africa's Champions League competition in the quarter-finals.
Beyond that, a semi-final with the champions of South America awaits, replicating the route Auckland City took two years ago when they finished third in the tournament in Morocco.
