Fox Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas said on his podcast Thursday, he believes Atlanta United has the skill to challenge for the 2018 MLS Cup.
“There is nothing that tells me a team like Atlanta United -- what they were last year and what they based on paper appear to be this year -- can’t compete for Major League Soccer when it comes to MLS Cup,” Lalas said.
This offseason, the team paid an MLS record $15 million in transfer fees for the rights to 19-year-old Argentina midfielder Ezequiel Barco. Despite a quad injury that will keep him sidelined for the first 4-6 weeks of the season, adding Barco to a full-throttle attack, which includes Miguel Almirón and Josef Martinez, makes Atlanta United one of most entertaining teams to watch according to Lalas.
“(Atlanta United) is must-see television when it comes to Major League Soccer,” Lalas said.
Atlanta United will open its second season at Houston on Saturday at 3:30 ET.
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