MLS Regular Season | Match #1
New England Revolution at Chicago Fire FC
Saturday, April 17 | 8:30 p.m. ET
Soldier Field | Chicago, Ill.
Watch: WBZ-TV (CBS), myRITV
Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub HD2 (English), WBIX 1260 Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
Revolution Kickoff (8 p.m. ET)
- Pregame coverage on WBZ-TV
Revolution Pregame Live (7:30 p.m. ET)
- Facebook, YouTube, revolutionsoccer.net
2020 RESULTS
New England Revolution
8th in Eastern Conference (8-7-8, 32 pts.)
Eastern Conference Final
In a nutshell, the Revs were a very good team last year that appear to have improved in the offseason. New England return all 11 starters from last year’s Eastern Conference Final while making nine additions to the squad, including international difference makers in Wilfrid Kaptoum, Christian Mafla, and Arnór Traustason, as well as MLS veterans in Ema Boateng and A.J. DeLaGarza.
But last year’s playoff run required an early test in the Play-In Round followed by three consecutive road games, a result of the Revs finishing 8th in the Eastern Conference. With sights set on better seeding and aspirations to contend for trophies, they’ll be focused on getting off to a stronger start in the 2021 campaign.
Chicago Fire FC
11th in Eastern Conference (5-10-8, 23 pts.)
Missed Playoffs
Chicago found themselves just one point out of the Eastern Conference playoff places last year, but that still meant an 11th-place finish in an expanded postseason field. Raphaël Wicky’s side showed flashes in his first year in charge, but their defensive record – 39 goals against, third worst in the East – ultimately left Chicago on the outside of the playoff picture for a third straight season.
They’ve strengthened the rearguard with the offseason addition of Ecuadoran defender Jhon Espinoza, while forward Robert Berić returns for a second season after bursting onto the scene with 12 goals in 2020, tied for second-most in MLS. Djordje Mihailović led the Fire with seven assists last season but has since made his way to Montréal, putting more of the playmaking duties on the shoulders of Álvaro Medrán and Gastón Giménez.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution midfielder Carles Gil
Carles Gil’s importance to the Revolution was on full display last year as the talismanic midfielder’s return late in the season helped spark New England’s run to the Eastern Conference Final. Gil, who returned from surgery a month ahead of schedule, was particularly influential in the playoffs, registering two goals and three assists in four appearances.
New England’s captain looked very much himself throughout preseason, as well, leading the Revs with three assists while operating with freedom on the right side of midfield. At his best, Gil has consistently been named amongst potential league MVP candidates in the 2021 season.
Fire forward Robert Berić
Runner-up for last year’s MLS Newcomer of the Year award – beaten out by just 1% of the vote by Columbus Crew SC’s Lucas Zelarayán – Berić bagged 12 goals in 23 appearances in 2020, averaging better than a goal every other game. He’ll once again be a focal point of Chicago’s attack in 2021, and the 29-year-old Slovenian will be targeting an even better season having settled into MLS.
Berić was kept quiet in a pair of appearances against the Revs last season, registering just two shots (and none on target) in 121 minutes of action, and the Revs will hope to have similar success on Saturday.
STATUS REPORT
Revolution
Bruce Arena said during Thursday’s weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand that the Revs are hoping to have their full roster available for next weekend’s home opener against D.C. United, but that does mean they won’t be quite at full strength for Saturday’s season opener.
Recent signing Arnór Traustason arrived in Foxborough last weekend and is currently completing a weeklong quarantine process as part of COVID-19 protocols, meaning he’ll join the Revs on the training ground for the first time early next week. Fellow offseason addition Wilfrid Kaptoum, meanwhile, has recovered from the injury that prevented him from featuring in any of the Revs’ five preseason matches.
Christian Mafla and Luis Caicedo also dealt with minor injuries in preseason but returned in time to see limited minutes in the Revolution’s final preseason contests.
Fire
Chicago have dealt with several injuries throughout preseason and Wicky confirmed earlier this week that both Fabian Herbers and Elliot Collier will be unavailable for Saturday’s opener against New England. Herbers was the Fire’s second-leading scorer last season, notching four goals in 21 appearances.
Ignacio Aliseda, Miguel Navarro, and Carlos Terán are also recovering from injury, with Wicky saying that trio is progressing “day by day.”
“They’re doing better, so we’ll see how every day goes,” Wicky said.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
New England Revolution head coach Bruce Arena
“I think this year will be very challenging. Is there pressure on us? Sure. We’re a professional team and our goal is to win trophies. Any time you position yourselves to do that, you face pressure. If we learned anything over the last year or so, what we do is pretty special. We’re pretty fortunate. For us to think that what we do is that difficult and that much pressure is, in a way, to me a little bit ridiculous. We’re very fortunate. We’re really excited about having the opportunity to compete hopefully for a normal season in 2021.”
New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner
“I think overall we felt disappointed with last year. We think we didn’t put our best foot forward in the Eastern Conference Final. That was a game that we could’ve very easily won just as well as we lost, so that’s something we want to put to bed. We understand this is a team that can compete for trophies and that our fans want trophies. We know that there’s been tons of really great Revolution teams in the past that haven’t been able to deliver that, so we’re hoping that we can be the one to deliver those trophies. I wouldn’t say that it’s relaxed. I’d say almost it’s more intense in a way, because guys understand the expectation. It’s in a good way. It’s not in a cutthroat way.”
Chicago Fire FC head coach Raphaël Wicky
“I cannot control what other people think of us or write about us. Obviously it should give us a little stimulus to prove them wrong. That’s how I see it, but everyone has the right of free speech to say and write what they think, so that doesn’t really concern me. I know and we know that when we have our roster complete and we have our guys back, that we have a very good roster. I told you guys that three, four weeks ago that I’m very happy with this roster, and I think there’s a lot of quality in there, there’s competition in there, and competition will push each other, will make the players better. With that, I believe that we have a better team than last year with the continuity, with not starting from zero again. I think that will make us a better team.”
Chicago Fire FC defender Boris Sekulić
“Of course, we as players, we are very happy that (fans) are allowed to be at our home games. We missed them a lot last year. I think last year we had some great games at home and I think they would enjoy them, so we will try to have a good start in the first home game, and I hope they will come and they will be happy with our performance.”
