Western Sydney Wanderers arrive home after Asian Champions League glory Champions: Nikolai Topor-Stanley gives the crowd what it wants. The newly-crowned champions of Asia, the Western Sydney Wanderers, were greeted by a thunderous reception from their most passionate fans when they touched down at Sydney Airport on Monday night. More than 2000 supporters crammed into the arrivals hall of the international terminal, many of whom waited for several hours as their victorious team passed through immigration. The squad was accompanied by the 14 supporters who were granted visas to watch the final against Al-Hilal in Riyadh. Grand welcome: Wanderers fans were in full voice on Monday night. Photo: Sebastian Hassett It was in the Saudi Arabian capital that the Wanderers desperately hung on for a 0-0 draw on Sunday morning [AEST] - despite being completely dominated by their vastly wealthier opponents. However, it was a scoreline good enough to grab victory after a Tomi Juric strike clinched a 1-0 lead for the Wanderers in the first leg in Parramatta. When the side eventually emerged, the crowd was plunged into the kind of deafening frenzy perhaps never seen for an Australian sporting team - all singing, dancing and clapping to the sound of the supporters' band. Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Covic, who gave the performance of his life in final and was named as the tournament MVP, described the airport scene as one of the most extraordinary things he'd witnessed in his 20-year career. Proud bunch: Wanderers fans in the arrivals hall. We could hear them pretty much when our bags were coming out [well inside the terminal]. We knew it was going to be big - we were getting pictures, messages, videos, so we knew what was going to be out here was unbelievable," he said, clasping the trophy with both hands as he spoke to the waiting media. You think back and wonder if this could ever happen in Australian football. It's just a credit to the game, it's the best feeling a football player in Australia could have right now. This moment, right now, is brilliant. The glovesman joked he'd "had some practice" holding the trophy over the past few days but the novelty clearly hadn't worn off as he arrived home. I've held it quite a bit. This is fantastic. No one gave us a hope in hell of picking this up," he said. To have it in our hands now, it brings a bit more reality to it. It's been shared around the team - it's even been in the team pool, it's gone for dives, it's been everywhere and through everyone's hands. It's not going to leave our side. Covic, who turns 40 in June, stunned those watching the game with some of his saves - including one world-class block on Saudi legend Yasser Al-Qahtani, described by Australian goalkeeping icon Mark Bosnich as the "greatest save by an Australian goalkeeper." Now the goalkeeper of the moment reckons age is no barrier, reckoning he can keep playing on into his forties. I don't see why not. I'm feeling good and moments like this don't come around too often. I've learned not to take things for granted. You always go out to achieve certain goals each year but this one takes the cake," he said. It's amazing, and I'd like to think there's more titles in me. For the moment I'll savour this and take it for what it is. After beginning his career with NSW State League club APIA Leichhardt and then joining then-NSL club Marconi, before crossing to a successful career in Europe, Covic thought he'd seen it all in Australian football - until now. "Go back 10 years before the A-League and never would you have expected something to happen like this," he said. We had it with Guangzhou when we came back [from defeating the Chinese champions on away goals], we had a good contingency [of fans at the airport] but today was extra special and we knew they were coming for us. You get overwhelmed by this and you can see there's no room in this airport. For football in Australia, it's come a long way. It can only grow and get better. While the club's new majority owner and chairman, Paul Lederer, was unable to gain a visa to get into Saudi Arabia, he looked as delighted as any of the fans upon the squad's return. "It's an amazing feeling to be standing here among these fans and to welcome this team home after their incredible performance," he told Fairfax Media. It really is a phenomenal, once-in-a-lifetime achievement. It's fantastic and I'm euphoric. The people of western Sydney have waited a long time for a team and this is what they deserve. I'm just so proud of the club and the supporters - and for absolutely everyone who is involved in this club. The players put in an incredible effort, they've gone to China, Japan, Korea and the Middle East to come away with this. It was a difficult task and they did an exceptional job. Speculation is already mounting that the Wanderers will have a hard time keeping a hold of coach Tony Popovic, who masterminded the victory and will surely soon be sought by some elite Asian and European clubs. For me, he's the best manager there is. He's an incredible human being and great guy and a great character," he said. We're good friends, so hopefully friendship will be enough to keep him here. When asked how his $10 million ownership investment in the club stacked up to other business deals the Primo Smallgoods owner had struck, Lederer replied: "This is definitely one of the best."