With another match on the horizon, Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin spoke ahead of the club’s Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinal against Atlas FC highlighting the crucial areas that will determine who takes the upper hand in first leg.
Pressure Is Good
Philadelphia Union enters the match after a scoreless home draw against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night. The defending Eastern Conference Champions were the favorites to return to MLS Cup in 2023 but find themselves with seven points after the first six league matches. Curtin said that the club is looking use that pressure especially with the opening leg of the Quarterfinals at home.
“I think pressure brings the best out of players and playing in the biggest games such as Champions League is where you want to be,” Curtin said. “We are into the final eight of a competition. I know it might sound crazy for the players of Atlas or the players in my locker room but you’re playing for the opportunity to possibly place against Real Madrid, Man City and everyone else that wins the different competitions for Club World Cup. When you get this close now, you want to leave your best on the field.”
Curtin pointed out that the defense remains strong and isn’t an area of concern with goalkeeper Andre Blake back in the Starting XI after missing a few matches due to an adductor strain. The focus of course is on the offense but Curtin stated it just takes a spark for a fire to ignite.
“We haven’t had the best start to the season and our players know that but it is all very fixable things. We’ve a disjointed start where players are injured or are away with the national teams but when our full group is together we know that we have a special group. Sometimes it takes one guy to make a play and give us a spark that breaks the offense open. We will be good defensively this season and I don’t worry about that but can we get the offense going now especially in a game like this where we know we need to score goals before we go to Mexico.”
Avoid the track meet
With a strong defensive mindset at the foundation of the Union, Curtin pointed to Atlas F.C.’s CCL results to point out just how dangerous their opponent can be despite their position in Liga MX’s table.
Forward Julian Quinones has led the Atlas offense and been a key playmaker for the Mexican side, bagging two goals and an assist in the opening round and has been a focus for the Union in the lead up to the contest.
“Quinones is the player that can float underneath and is very dynamic and dangerous and he presents a lot of danger for the opponent because he is unpredictable,” Curtin said. “We have talked with our [center backs] that between the two of them, it is not a one person job because we have to be compact as a team and always been helping each other.”
Atlas F.C. comes into the match off an emotional classico against rivals Chivas on Saturday where they picked up their seventh draw of 2023 with a 3-3 scoreline. Curtin said goals in the amount are something the Union must avoid to set up a winnable situation for leg two.
“What we don’t want in this match is that Atlas gets a chance and then we get a chance and it goes end to end in a track meet. That game suits them very much with their individual attacking talent and just how dynamic they are. We want to be compact and organized and yes we can go in transition too but we don’t want to play in a 4-3 game.”
