MONTREAL -- Andrew Gutman was Brooks Lennon’s best friend on Atlanta United.
Franco Ibarra was one of Santiago Sosa’s best friends on the MLS team.
Though disappointed to see their friends leave during the week -- Gutman was traded to Colorado and Ibarra sent on loan to Toronto -- Lennon and Sosa said after Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Montreal that sudden changes are part of the life of being a professional athlete.
“Guys move on, in certain moments of a season,” said Lennon, who said he loves Gutman and wishes him the best. “So we just needed to continue our game plan for Montreal and keep our focus with how we were going to prepare, and I thought we did really well with all the transitions that happened this week.”
Lennon scored the winning goal for Atlanta United in the 54th minute when he was the first to reach a free kick by Thiago Almada that bounced off a goal post.
Sosa and Ibarra signed with Atlanta United within two weeks of each other in Feb. 2021. Both came from clubs in Argentina as part of a new MLS Under-22 Initiative and sought to compete for starting positions at defensive midfielder. Sosa started brightly with 46 appearances in 2021 and ‘22 before an injury sidelined him for the 2023 preseason. Ibarra won the job and made 17 appearances, including 15 starts, before he was loaned to Toronto on Thursday so that Atlanta United could become compliant with MLS rules that allow each club to have a maximum of three Under-22 signings. Atlanta United had four.
Ibarra wasn’t happy to be loaned. Sosa wasn’t happy to see him go but said he understood. Sosa started Saturday’s match at Montreal and performed well.
“Franco is a teammate, was a teammate so it was very tough for me and obviously for him,” said Sosa, who said he has spoken to Ibarra. “Because we are Argentinian we are very close. We also play the same position. This is difficult but we are friends and are very close. I’m unhappy for him because I love him. But that thing happened.”
Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda recognized that it wasn’t easy for any of the players to see two teammates leave in a span of two days.
“This is not easy that you have to be traded one day to the other,” Pineda said. “It’s not easy. It’s hard to adapt. The players of course they have feelings. They like Andrew. They like Ibarra. There’s some connections in the culture of the team. We’re going to miss them as a person first and then as a players but this is MLS and the front office trying to do the best job possible to to provide the team with the right pieces in the roster.”
Atlanta United kept its focus to post its sixth shutout this season and second in as many games. It limited Montreal to one shot on goal.
“They perform like this, again it tells me, tells the coaching staff that we’re heading in the right direction,” Pineda said.
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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
May 13 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 1
May 17 Atlanta United 4, Colorado 0
May 20 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 3
May 27 Atlanta United 1, Orlando 1
May 31 Atlanta United 3, New England 3
June 7 Atlanta United 0, LAFC 0
June 10 Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1
June 21 Atlanta United 2, New York City 2
June 24 New York Red Bulls 4, Atlanta United 0
July 2 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 0
July 8 Atlanta United 1, Montreal 0
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
July 25 at Miami in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
July 29 vs. Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup, 8 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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