Soccer 360 - CA (2020-03 & 2020-04)

(Antfer) #1

2020 SEASON PREVIEW


GOLDEN 25TH. 2020 MLS


MARCO D'ONOFRIO PROVIDES A TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE 2020 MLS SEASON.


Atlanta United
2019 SEASON: 18-4-12, 58 points (Second
in the East, Conference finalists)
KEY ADDITIONS: Brooks Lennon (Real Salt
Lake), Mo Adams (Chicago Fire), Edgar
Castillo (NE Revolution), Fernando Meza
(Necaxa)
DEPARTURES: Julian Gressel (D.C. United),
Darlington Nagbe (Columbus), Justin
Meram (Real Salt Lake), Michael Parkhurst
(Retired)

Atlanta United will be disappointed with the
way they were eliminated from the playoffs
last year and will be eager to get back to
MLS Cup for the second time in three years.
They have the quality and depth to do it
with the likes of Josef Martinez and Pity
Martinez both returning. Atlanta United will
be a real force throughout the season.

Chicago Fire
2019 SEASON: 10-12-12, 42 points (Eighth
in the East, did not make playoffs)
KEY ADDITIONS: Robert Beric (St. Etienne),
Alvaro Medran (FA - Valencia), Elliot Collier
(Memphis 901)
DEPARTURES: Nico Gaitan (Lille), Nemanja
Nikolics (Fehervar), Aleksander Katai (LA
Galaxy), Dax McCarthy (Nashville), Bastian
Schweinsteiger (Retired)

An ambitious plan to re-brand and re-
market the club has officially started
as the team has moved back to Soldier
Field, where they played prior to their
move to Bridgeview. The club have a new
logo and a new squad as well with both
Schweinsteiger, Nemanja Nikoli, and captain
Dax McCarty all leaving town. It'll be a year
of transition for the Fire to say the least.

FC Cincinnati
2019 SEASON: 6-6-22, 24 points (Last in
the East, did not make playoffs)
KEY ADDITIONS: Jurgen Locadia
(Brighton), Yuya Kubo (Gent), Haris
Medunjanin (Philadelphia), Tom Pettersson
(Ostersund)
DEPARTURES: Leonardo Bertone (FC
Thun), Fanendo Adi (Columbus), Victor
Ulloa (Inter Miami), Alvas Powell (Inter
Miami)

No team in the entire league finished with
fewer points than FC Cincinnati, who played
their inaugural season in MLS last year. The
second year franchise still has a lot of work
to do though before competing with the
elite teams in MLS and will probably not
have much success in 2020 either. Dutch
tactician Ron Jans returns on the bench for
his first full season with the team after he
took over the reins in August last year.

Columbus Crew
2019 SEASON: 10-8-16, 38 points (Tenth in
the East, did not make playoffs)
KEY ADDITIONS: Lucas Zelarayan (Tigres),
Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United), Vito
Wormgoor (SK Brann)
DEPARTURES: Will Trapp (Inter Miami),
David Guzman (Saprissa), Lalas Abubakar
(Colorado)

Caleb Porter is back for his second season
in charge of the Crew as he looks to guide
his team back into the playoffs after a
disappointing campaign last year. The
club have revamped their coaching squad
by bringing in the likes of Tim Hanley,
who has won three MLS Cups as part of
various coaching staffs. The team should
do better than last season, but still lack the
quality to be a threat in the difficult Eastern
Conference. They will likely be sitting on the
outside of the playoff picture once again.

Josef Martinez
Atlanta United FC

Robert Berić
Chicago Fire FC

Jimmy McLaughlin
FC Cincinnati

EASTERN CONFERENCE


Jordan Hamilton
Columbus Crew SC
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