The MLS is back! These are the novelties for the 2019 season
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Atlanta United, the current champion, will now be led by Dutchman Frank De Boer. Meanwhile, former Manchester United, Nani, will be the luxury reinforcement for Orlando City
This Saturday, March 2 begins the Major League Soccer (MLS) in its 2019 edition, with Atlanta United in defense of its title, but with some uncertainties due to changes in its campus, the Portuguese Nani who came to defend the colors of Orlando City, the Argentine Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez as another luxurious novelty, and even a new ball.
Leer en español: ¡Vuelve la MLS! Estas son las novedades de la temporada 2019
The current monarch will start the campaign as a visitor at Audi Field before DC United on Sunday 3, and in Latin American Post we give a review of the main novelties that await us in the new season.
LaGalaxy.com details the debut date of the 2019 edition. The opening day, to be played this Saturday, March 2, includes 10 of the first 12 games of the season. The first official commitment of the year will be between Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC at Talen Energy Stadium, before nine other commitments.
In turn, the second round of the first date, scheduled for Sunday, March 3, has the duels between DC United and Atlanta United at Audi Field, and immediately upon completion, the inaugural weekend will end with the LAFC against Sporting Kansas City at Bank of California Stadium, as reviewed by the LaGalaxy team page.
Also read: Major League Soccer: a final filled with Latin American flavor
The champion was rejuvenated
The champion Atlanta United, lost his coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino (now coach of Mexico) and his star, Paraguayan Miguel Almirón, but kept his scorer and best player of the 2018 season, the Venezuelan striker Josef Martinez, and He expects his two new additions, the Dutch coach Frank De Boer and the Argentine Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez, former River Plate, plus the interesting acquisition of Frenchman Florentin Pogba.
The Vision News Paper details Florentin's case in the current MLS monarch. Pogba, a 28-year-old central defender, has reinforced the Turkish Super League's Gençlerbirliği, but it is important to clarify that he will only be uninformed with Atlanta until he receives his international transfer certificate and his P-1 visa, respecting the regulations of Major League Soccer (MLS).
In his international experience, Pogba represented his native Guinea in 19-year-olds, and already has 14 commitments with that team, while as a youngster he put on the elastic of France. In addition, he belongs to a family that breathes football, as his younger brother, Paul, world champion in Russia 2018 and Manchester United player and who is best known, while his twin Mathias plays for Tours de France.
New stars plus those that are already
MLS already has starred for many years, but more and more young figures are arriving, even when the bastion is still veterans. The Martinez-Almirón duo of last year is a sample of it, two young players and already with European experience in both cases.
12Up reports that experienced Portuguese footballer Nani, former Portugal national team, Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon, was introduced as a new MLS player for the next three years.
Marco Fabián should also be mentioned, as 12Up highlighted in another article. The Mexican offensive midfielder joins the Philadelphia Union after his important stay in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt and it is expected that his experience in Europe will shine in the league.
As we said, the 'Pity' Martinez will have the difficult task of replacing Almiron in the champion team, after having been a figure with River Plate and key in the title of the Copa Libertadores. Another Mexican, Carlos Vela, points to his second campaign in Los Angeles FC in which he hopes to corroborate what he did in the season of his debut and justify his high salary.
12Up also includes Rooney of course. The veteran English player goes for his first full season with DC United after arriving midway through the Everton Premier League. His duo with the Argentine Luciano Acosta caused a furor in 2018.
Of course, you can not leave out the Venezuelan Martinez. League champion with Atlanta, top scorer (with a record of 35 goals included) and MVP of the 2018 season, this year his challenge will be to maintain the same level without the presence of his partner, Almirón.
Not to mention the top star in the league: the Swedish veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His first campaign was so successful that he is already the highest paid in the MLS and therefore will go after the title with the brothers Giovanny and Jonathan Dos Santos and the new strategist: former Boca Juniors, Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Ready for the Concacaf Champions League!
Between February 19 and 28 will debut in the Champions League of that confederation, the representatives of the USA: Atlanta United, New York Red Bulls, Sporting Kansas City, and Toronto FC.
Atlanta will compete with Herediano of Costa Rica, while New York Red Bulls will do the same against Pantoja of the Dominican Republic. In turn, Toronto (finalist last year) will face the Independent of Panama and, finally, the runner-up Sporting Kansas City will calibrate with Toluca de México, according to Us.As.
A new ball and a new club
12Up revealed that it is a spherical designed by the German brand Adidas and that it will be called Native Questra with the white, blue and red color combination, and a shiny tone, which also includes the league logo, as well as the signature of commissioner Don Garber. The other important novelty for this harvest is that a new guest is added to the competition, this is the 24th franchise, FC Cincinnati, said the same media.
LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano
Translated from "¡Vuelve la MLS! estas son las novedades de la temporada 2019"
