Atlanta looks to make statement in opener vs. Houston

Atlanta United will have to wait a while to show off their expensive new piece.

Atlanta will begin its second season in MLS without promising Argentinian midfielder Ezequiel Barco, who has been ruled out for Saturday’s season opener at Houston and is expected to miss four to six weeks with a quad strain suffered in training earlier this week.

Atlanta signed the 18-year-old Barco for a reported $15 million in the offseason, making him the most expensive acquisition in MLS history.

“It’s a shame because (Barco)’s been working hard in training ever since he joined us after missing a few days in preseason,” Atlanta coach Tata Martino told the team’s website, through a translator.

Atlanta still has plenty of firepower back from last season’s squad, which reached the MLS Cup Playoffs in its inaugural season. Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron combined for 28 goals and 15 assists last season. Almiron had a hat trick in United’s 4-1 win over Houston in the teams’ only meeting last season.

The Dynamo also are coming off a successful season and looking for more this year under second-year coach Wilmer Cabrera. Houston reached the Western Conference finals before falling to the Seattle Sounders.

The Dynamo did not make any splashy offseason moves and haven’t generated as much buzz as Atlanta heading into this season. But Houston does return a potent duo in Mauro Manotas and Alberth Elis, who each scored 10 goals last season.

“We don’t want anybody to talk about us because we should talk on the field,” Cabrera told the Houston Chronicle. “You talk on the field and hopefully we can talk well. We are preparing ourselves the best way possible to be sure when the season starts we’re going to be able to perform well and match up with the quality of the team that is in front of us.”

–Field Level Media