When Ronny Deila led NYCFC to the MLS Cup in 2021, he fulfilled a promise to strip down and celebrate with the traveling supporters at Portland’s Providence Park.
“That was a good experience, maybe not so good to watch,” he said. “My daughter was embarrassed a little bit afterward.”
With Atlanta United hosting his former team Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, he said he hasn’t yet made a promise on what he might do should he lead Atlanta United to the MLS Cup.
“I’m willing to do the most thing if we win something,” he said Thursday. “We’ll take it one game at a time, but we’re going to have fun if we win some time, and that’s the goal.”
Atlanta United is in 12th place in the East, with five points from five matches. That’s tied for the worst start in franchise history.
Deila said if the team could play in the second halves of matches like it has played in the first halves, it would have 15 points. Perhaps that would induce him to come up with a promise?
Internationals back. Most of the players who were called into their national teams returned to training Thursday. The exceptions were winger Miguel Almiron and centerbacks Luis Abram and Efrain Morales. Pedro Amador missed because his partner gave birth Tuesday.
Players who were away but trained Thursday included midfielder Bartosz Slisz, centerbacks Stian Gregersen and Noah Cobb, and winger Luke Brennan. Midfielder Jay Fortune worked with one of the team’s trainers.
Manager Ronny Deila said all of the players are expected to train Friday and should be available for Saturday’s match against NYCFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Centerback Derrick Williams said players coming in at different times doesn’t affect the rhythms of the sessions.
Striker Jamal Thiare (quad), winger Edwin Mosquera (ankle) and midfielder Tristan Muyumba (knee) will likely not be available. Thiare could be seen jogging by himself Thursday. Mosquera suffered his injury two matches ago. Muyumba suffered his injury last week.
Thursday fun day. Thursday’s training session continued a series of sessions two days before matches in which the players are put into teams and compete in skill games. The teams and games change every week.
Deila said they started this approach a few weeks ago as a load-lightener to try to keep the players fresh.
“we have to take one step back to get two steps forward,” Deila said. “It’s fun, it’s short. It’s low intensity. It’s restitution, almost. And then we work also on individual things that they like to do so it’s a feel-good exercise day to get ready for tomorrow.”
Williams said he loves the games because the players are competitors. There are scores being kept on a board inside the training facility. Winners get three points if they are on a team that wins one of the contests. He said he couldn’t remember which players was on top, but he was close.
“If you’re not going to do it here in these games, you’re not going to do in the match, so you need to train as you play,” he said. “So they’re intense, and that’s something really Ronny brought in this season, is having that competitive edge and wanting to win every game.”
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 Miami 2, Atlanta United 1
March 22 Atlanta United 2, Cincinnati 2
March 29 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 5 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 12 vs. New England, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
April 19 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 26 at Orlando, 7 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, FOX
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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