It was 70 degrees with a slight breeze in a Chamber-of-Commerce type of day on Wednesday in Flowery Branch, where Atlanta United was training.
On Sunday in Minneapolis, where Atlanta United will play fellow MLS expansion team Minnesota United, it is expected to be a high of 29 degrees.
Yes, the game will be played outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium.
No, there is no such thing as soccer snow boots.
As midfielder Yamil Asad repeated with a laugh something said by someone who didn’t remember high school spanish as the sun shone on the right side of his face, “Mucho, mucho frio.”
“We know what the temperature is going to be like,” he said. “But as a soccer player, you have to be ready to adapt to whatever climate.”
MLS records are incomplete regarding temperatures, but the league said the coldest recorded temperature at kickoff is 22 degrees for the 2013 MLS Cup at Sporting KC.
Mucho, mucho frio, which, to be grammatically correct, should be muy, muy frio.
But at least there won’t be snow. And as of now the game will be played. Orlando at New England on Saturday has been postponed because of a weather forecast of temperatures in the 20s with a wind chill making it feel colder than that.
There was discussion earlier this week that MLS may break out the more visible orange ball for Sunday’s game between Atlanta United and Minnesota United. Now, with the likelihood of snow gone, the white ball will be used.
How Atlanta United’s players cope with the temperatures will be up to them. The team will take with it parkas, beanies, gloves, compression tops, etc. Vaseline can be used as a protective barrier on exposed parts of the skins.
Team captain Michael Parkhurst, who has played in the snow while with New England and in Denmark, said he might use warm cream on his toes.
“It’s really just the fingers and toes that will be really cold, especially in the beginning,” he said.
Fullback Tyrone Mears, a native of Manchester, England, played in one of the unofficial coldest games in last year’s MLS Cup at Toronto where the kickoff temperature was 28 degrees. He said the cold doesn’t bother him. It’s the games when the temperatures approach 100-degrees that he doesn’t like.
Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino said the expected cold won’t affect his strategy, tactics or mindset.
“I hope we can play the same way regardless of the weather or the opponent,” he said.
Almiron called up: Midfielder Miguel Almiron was called into Paraguay's national team earlier this week for an upcoming friendly against Ecuador on March 23 and Brazil on March 28. He would miss the March 31 game at Seattle. Almiron called it an honor.
Gressel's family at game: Rookie Julian Gressel's mom flew from Germany to Atlanta to watch last week's inaugural game. Gressel, a midfielder who played in college at Providence, was a surprise starter.
“She said she got very emotional because I was the first guy in the family to play in front of such a large crowd and made it to the pro ranks,” said Gressel, who has two younger brothers who also play. “I’m really glad she was there and got to the witness that.”
Facebook: Atlanta United's game against Chicago on March 18 at Bobby Dodd Stadium will be the first MLS game broadcast live in English on Facebook. The league and Univision Deportes announced on Friday an agreement to broadcast live streams of matches on the Univision Deportes Facebook page.
BRRRRRRR!
Though MLS’ weather records are incomplete, here are the coldest temperatures at kickoff recorded by the league.
Degrees, date, game
29 April 7, 2007, D.C. United at Colorado
29 March 23, 2014 New York Red Bulls at Chicago
28 Dec. 10, 2016, Seattle at Toronto
25 March 26, 2011 Portland at Toronto
22 Dec. 7, 2013 Real Salt Lake at Sporting KC
Information provided by MLS
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