Saba Lobjanidze may make debut for Atlanta United on Saturday

Saba Lobjanidze might make his Atlanta United debut in Saturday’s match against Nashville, manager Gonzalo Pineda said Thursday.

“He seems to be very happy to be here and just ready to go,” Pineda said. “I think he’s probably, out of all the new players, the one that comes with more fitness work in behind, so his adaptation should be faster than the rest.”

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Lobjanidze, 28 years old, signed with Atlanta United as a Designated Player on Aug. 2 after a protracted negotiation with Hatayspor in Turkey. Lobjanidze said the negotiations reached a point where he had to tell the club’s management, which wanted him to return for next season, that he wanted to leave.

He trained at one of his former clubs, Dinamo Tbilisi in his native country of Georgia, to stay in shape while he waited on his P-1 Visa, which was secured Aug. 19. He trained with Atlanta United for the first time Wednesday.

He said he had been watching MLS – yes, long before Lionel Messi joined Miami – and is excited for the challenge.

“I want to say Atlanta is a nice team with a nice history,” he said. “So it’s quite interesting for me also. I like competition. I like challenges. So that’s why I decided to come because I know the team wants to compete. So that’s why I joined it.”

Pineda said Lobjanidze will play on the right wing. He has scored 69 goals and made 57 assists in 288 appearances.

“I‘m an offensive player,” he said. “So I think creating some good final passes, I think, it’s one of my best things.”

If Lobjanidze starts, it will be third consecutive match that one of the team’s new players has made a debut. Midfielder Tristan Muyumba made his first appearance against Cruz Azul and started the next game at Seattle, which is also when winger Xande Silva made his debut. Both performed very well, Pineda said.

Al three players bring a wealth of experience, with more than 500 combined appearances from Europe, which Pineda said was a point of emphasis with the summer signees.

“We needed a couple guys that went through some other situations, and they know how to act in a difficult league like MLS, and I think they will impact on that,” Pineda said. “It’s not just their age, but their personality, their character. I mean, they are very good so far.”

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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule

Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1

March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1

March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0

March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1

March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1

April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0

April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1

April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2

April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1

April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1