Among the strengths of Atlanta United’s squad before the season was its depth in the midfield.
The team had as many as six players who were starting quality.
The depth will be tested, starting with Sunday’s game at Charlotte.
Ozzie Alonso likely is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee Saturday in a 1-0 win at D.C. United. Matheus Rossetto suffered a left hamstring injury earlier in the game. Emerson Hyndman has yet to make a game-day roster. That leaves Santiago Sosa, who replaced Rossetto, Franco Ibarra, who came on for Alonso for his first action this season after suffering a preseason injury, and Amar Sejdic.
“We’re all a team,” Ibarra said Wednesday. “So we all work together as a team. Everyone’s on the same page trying to do the best they can to help the group. So whichever player the coach decides to play, I think they’re they’re capable of doing the job.”
Ibarra missed the past several weeks because he felt discomfort in his hamstring during an exhibition game in Mexico. He described it as a light injury. Then, he and Sosa went to Argentina to work on securing their green cards. That took almost a month.
Now, Ibarra said he feels like he can go 90 minutes, should manager Gonzalo Pineda ask him.
It seems likely that Sosa and Ibarra will be paired together in the central midfield. Ibarra was the first-choice starter in the preseason before suffering his injury. Sosa started 22 games last season.
Both players are tough. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan noted that as soon as Sosa came onto the field to start the second half against D.C. United, he threw himself into a tackle as if to tell D.C. United he was ready to continue what to that point had a been a very physical game.
Pineda also said he liked the bite the two had in the second half.
“I specifically brought Santi and Ibarra to continue the good possession of the ball, but also to put in some of the physicality we needed to win some of those duels,” Pineda said on Saturday. “Both did fantastic. That’s something that also makes me very happy, is that the players that are coming from the bench are doing a great job in every game.”
During the preseason, Pineda complimented Ibarra’s ability to bring the ball forward and play passes into space during the preseason, which is something he didn’t do a lot last season in his 16 appearances.
“Santi and I are very close,” Ibarra said. “And I think we have a good relationship. You can see (in) both of us the passion that we play with in the midfield. I think we have a good understanding. We talk, we listen to each other.”
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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 Atlanta United 3, Sporting KC 1
March 5 Colorado 3, Atlanta United 0
March 13 Atlanta United 2, Charlotte 1
March 19 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 3
April 2 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
April 10 at Charlotte, 1:30 p.m., ABC, ESPN Deportes
April 16 vs. Cincinnati, 6 p.m., Peachtree TV
April 24 at Miami, 1 p.m., ESPN
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs Miami, 4 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
August 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
August 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
August 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
August 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
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