The confluence of events could be interesting Saturday when Atlanta United plays at Miami.
This will be the first time that Atlanta United will face Josef Martinez since it bought out his contract before the MLS season and he signed with Miami. Martinez, once the face of the Five Stripes, left the club after scoring 111 goals and helping it win three trophies.
But the Martinez who once was the most feared striker in MLS hasn’t been the same since sustaining an ACL injury against Nashville in the first game of the 2020 season. The injury, which required several surgeries, affected Martinez’s quickness and leaping ability. His decreased production, 21 goals in the past three seasons, his frustration with the front office, and his salary were among a combination of factors that resulted in the club buying him out in January and him subsequently joining Miami.
Instead of sparking Miami’s offense, Martinez hasn’t scored in the club’s first nine games and was an unused sub in last week’s 2-1 win against Columbus. He hasn’t scored in 10 games, the longest drought of his MLS career. He’s played nine minutes the past two games. Miami has scored eight goals in nine games.
Speaking to Miami-area media members Wednesday, Martinez didn’t seem too concerned in a transcript provided by the team.
“Because the soccer life is like that,” he said. “You just have to wait and keep fighting and working hard. You never know when the game will be in your favor. You always need to be prepared.”
Former teammate Matheus Rossetto said Tuesday that he was excited that he will see Martinez again. He said they likely would speak Portuguese, one of several languages Martinez can speak.
“He was a player here who I always had a good relationship with, and we spent a lot of time together, so it’ll be a nice meeting,” Rossetto said.
Miami as a team has struggled this season. Martinez started in its first four games. Miami won its first two games before losing its next five. Its victory against Columbus snapped that winless streak. Leo Campana scored both of the Herons’ goals in the victory.
“Soccer is played in a team,” Martinez said. “The players need each other. Sometimes the sport is like that. Sometimes forwards live that way, but I’m happy for the strong performance that Leo had this past weekend, especially after being out with injury. He came back and scored, and that made me really happy. The first day I came, I said that the most important thing is for me to help in any way possible. Now, it’s about waiting until the ball rolls my way, too.”
Martinez came across as calm and with a different, calmer perspective than he sometimes showed when frustrated while at Atlanta United. His last interaction with journalists who cover the club was to lash out toward Vice President Carlos Bocanegra and manager Gonzalo Pineda following a loss to NYCFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the 2022 home finale.
Martinez said he doesn’t feel pressure to score. Not being able to take care of his infant son would be pressure, he said.
“Before I used to get annoyed and lived more frustrated,” he said. “But now it is what it is, it’s a job, it’s a sport. Sometimes you win, you lose, and at the end, you have to live with the results. I can’t take what happens on the field home because it’s not their fault. But it’s a sport. I go in and repeat. Sometimes it even happens to the best.”
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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 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
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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