The league’s annual All-Star Game kicks off at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night when MLS representatives face La Liga side Atlético Madrid at Exploria Stadium in Orlando. The match will be televised on FS1 and UniMás.
FCC at the MLS ASG
No players from the Orange and Blue are represented, but that doesn’t mean the league’s newest club doesn’t have representatives in Florida.
FCC President Jeff Berding, Chief Operating Officer Dennis Carroll, General Manager Gerard Nijkamp and Technical Director Luke Sassano are all down in Florida to meet with other officials from around the league. The club also did this during its three years in the USL.
Which players are representing MLS?
Here’s the MLS roster that will play the Spanish side:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Andre Blake (New York City FC)
Defenders: Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Kemar Lawrence (New York Red Bulls), Romain Metanire (Minnesota United FC), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire), Walker Zimmermann (LAFC), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City), Leandro González PÃrez (Atlanta United FC)
Midfielders: Ezequiel Barco (Atlanta United FC), Diego Chara (Portland Timbers), Jonathan Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Mark-Anthony Kaye (LAFC), Nicolás Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders), Pity MartÃnez (Atlanta United FC), Maxi Moralez (New York City FC), Nani (Orlando City SC), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas), Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC), Diego Rossi (LAFC)
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy), Josef MartÃnez (Atlanta United FC), Carlos Vela (LAFC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
The team is coached by Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor.
Storylines to watch
How well will the MLS All-Stars play against a European power?
Madrid enter the match with plenty of history and world-class firepower. Up front, Diego Costa leads the team and recently put four goals past arch-rival Real Madrid.
Additionally, Koke should pace the Atleti midfield, while new signing Kieren Trippier should be on display. Trippier is the first Englishman on the Spanish side’s roster in 95 years.
But all of that focus is on the opponent. As for the MLS XI, the league’s continuous growth in quality and talent will be seen in the lineups O’Connor deploys. Up front, global starts like Zlatan and Rooney can play, or Josef MartÃnez or Carlos Vela could start instead. In the midfield, there’s a wide range of older stars (Nani, Lodeiro) and younger prospects (Barco and Pomykal).
What will MLS Commissioner Don Garber say more about MLS expansion?
Thankfully, this isn’t a topic that FC Cincinnati supporters still sweat about. Their club is now fully-entrenched in the country’s first division. But the same can’t be said for other expansion hopefuls, such as St. Louis and Sacramento.
Garber said the league is open to announcing the 28th and 29th teams – and earlier this season said an announcement could arrive by Wednesday’s All-Star Game.
So far, there’s nothing confirmed yet.
That said, Sport Illustrated reporter Brian Straus said St. Louis appears to the frontrunner.
Could the MLS All-Star Game come to Cincinnati?
Maybe this isn’t being openly discussed in Orlando, but it’s something FC Cincinnati fans can ponder for the future and the opening of West End Stadium.
Three of the last four games have been played in recently built stadiums. Of course, FCC will fit this category when their future home opens in 2021.
Currently, it looks like Minnesota United FC might host a match first, but the Orange and Blue aren’t far away.
