Atlanta United is getting a massive arrival that could not come at a more crucial time. Breel Embolo is officially eligible to represent the 5-Stripes, just in time for their trip to face Inter Miami in the Sunshine State.
Saturday’s affair will feature myriad high-level attacking talent, but Atlanta will be tasked with putting the pieces together quickly up front. That’s what they’re working at in training this week. By the time the ball gets rolling at 7:30 p.m. ET, they’ll need to already be clicking.
Head coach Tata Martino is set to face his former club and a fair few familiar faces for the first time this season.
“With these players with who have such extensive resumes and career achievements, I prefer not to say a lot because, just seeing their last name, everyone knows their career and what they’ve brought to the game,” Martino said in Spanish Thursday. “Miami is a team who has a lot of experienced, quality players … We know that’s what we’re up against.”
Embolo’s first few trainings, and another signing ready to roll
It was back on August 23 that Embolo was unveiled to the 17s at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With his visa sorted and league approval received, the Swiss striker is allowed to train with the side and appear in matches.
Though there’s no guarantee on his matchday status until the club puts out its availability report tomorrow, the 5-Stripes are preparing with him in mind. Embolo got some of his first runs with his new teammates in this week, participating in team drills and ramping up his fitness.
Coming off a World Cup campaign, he’s not far off from where he wants to be fitness wise. The real task is adjusting to the teammates around him, both on and off the pitch.
“He has the ability to take the ball, and from there he can turn,” Alexey Miranchuk said Thursday. “He’s well known as [someone who’s] scoring the goals, so he can help us in that third of the field.”
Mauricio Amaro, Atlanta United’s signing from the beginning of August, will be another important addition to the squad. The midfielder who Martino described as a No. 6, No. 8 hybrid, now has his visa as well. Him and Embolo bring physical profiles and a fit within Martino’s scheme.
“I think those are two players who can help the team to be more intense on the field,” Martino said. “They’re two players who can add more of a presence within the team, and then also there’s the other side and how they can improve the team’s overall play as a whole.”
A fellow midfielder in Tristan Muyumba spoke Tuesday about his experience obtaining a work visa. He had to go to Ottawa, Ontario to get his paperwork done, and he recognized the club has to be patient throughout transfer acquisitions — every player’s timeline to eligibility is different.
The man who brought Embolo and Amaro to the 5-Stripes, Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson, addressed media Thursday with the conclusion of the Secondary Transfer Window. He hit on a variety of topics on the roster front after a window that saw Atlanta United bring in five players and send out eight.
“The transformation of the team this window is getting some players who can play in Tata’s style and identity,” Henderson said. “… I do feel like this group is all going in the same direction. We have a good mix of young players and leadership.”
Moving on to Messi and Miami
Last Saturday’s loss to Charlotte stung particularly hard because it halted a three-match winning streak. But at any point in the season, letting one loss sit too long is the last thing a team wants to do.
“I don’t think one game changes everything that we’ve been doing well in the past three games,” Elías Báez said in Spanish Tuesday. “Now we just have to move on and focus on the next game.”
The 5-Stripes will find another high-flying Southern adversary in Inter Miami. The Herons are fresh off a 7-1 win over CF Montréal and are second in the Eastern Conference.
They’re, of course, led by Lionel Messi, fresh off a World Cup Final run with Argentina and MLS’ leading goalscorer this season. The side getting production all over the pitch, with 56 goals leading the league this season. Luis Suárez and Germán Berterame have 11 and 7 goals, respectively, and Rodrigo De Paul has double-digit assists with 10.
This summer, they brought in former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro from Manchester United to sure up the defense, and he’s since started every match he’s appeared in.
Miranchuk sees it plainly. Either the 5-Stripes play ultra-aggressive or ultra-conservative.
“With Miami, you have to go really high press and go maximum to not play them easy to the offensive part of the field, or you need to drop and be more disciplined,” Miranchuk said. “Then from there, you can use Embolo as an anchor. There’s no in between.”
Inter’s squad speaks for itself, but Atlanta United has a history of pulling off upsets against Miami. The 5-Stripes won’t find a team that prefers counterattacks like Charlotte but instead one that would rather out possess and stay on the ball as much as possible. Whether Atlanta can adjust to that difference in playstyle match-to-match will dictate how things go Saturday. That and, of course, the aforementioned decisive characters.
“This motivates you because [Messi] is the best player in the world,” Miranchuk said. “In some ways you enjoy [playing against] him, but on other hand, you’re like, ‘I can try to stop him or block the path or block his vision. All these small details also motivate you.”
