Atlanta United’s Brad Guzan not yet focused on future as MLS playoffs continue

Facing what could be the last match of a distinguished career, Atlanta United captain Brad Guzan said Thursday he has “definitely not” given any thought to his future.

Guzan and Atlanta United will play Inter Miami in the decisive Game 3 of their MLS playoff series Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Assuming that Guzan starts, which seems safe because he has started each of Atlanta United’s 16 playoff matches, it would be his 586th appearance as a professional, dating to his first club, Chivas USA, through to Aston Villa, Hull City, Middlesborough, and Atlanta United, and as a U.S. national team player.

Guzan has one option year remaining on his contract. He has said consistently all season that he hasn’t thought about what’s next. The club isn’t required to say what it will do until it announces its end-of-season moves when its season ends.

Atlanta United is playing still in part because of Guzan, who is having one of his better seasons since joining the club in 2017. He has 113 saves, his most at the club, a 72% save percentage (third best), six clean sheets, and a career-high three penalties saved during the regular season.

In this season’s playoffs, he has 14 saves, a 73.7 save percentage, and one important penalty kick saved that pushed Atlanta United past Montreal in the wild-card round. In his Atlanta United career, he has six shutouts in the postseason.

“He’s been fantastic,” interim manager Rob Valentino said. “He’s a consistent person. The focus and intentionality that he puts on his job is pretty impressive when you get to see it up close. He has a laugh and a joke, and you see him enjoy every single day, (and) when it comes time to work and you can almost see it in his eyes, the focus shift.

“He’s ... come to really good form in the playoffs or in the big moments. And I think that’s because he’s seen it. He’s been around it. He’s got quality in a lot of different ways. He shows it on the field, and he shows it in the locker room, and I’m happy he’s on our side.”

Guzan said Atlanta United’s 2-1 victory against Miami in Game 2 was among the more memorable of his career because of the excitement of the match, capped by Xande Silva’s late winner in stoppage time in front of an announced attendance of more than 66,000.

“I remember looking around the stadium for a brief second thinking, ‘Wow, this is, this is 2018-esque,” he said. “That feeling was pretty special.”

If Atlanta United could defeat Miami in Game 3, Guzan said “it would be up there” among the best wins.

“Hopefully it’s not as crazy as Game 2 in terms of late finishes, a little bit more subdued, but yeah, I’ll take it anyway it comes,” he said.

Injuries. Centerback Stian Gregersen trained with the team Thursday. He suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Game 1 that required him to be subbed off. He made the game-day roster but didn’t compete in Game 2. He was replaced by Luis Abram in the starting lineup.

Midfielder Jay Fortune didn’t participate in all of Thursday’s session. Valentino said Fortune is day-to-day. He was kicked in the ankle and later rolled the ankle in Game 2. He played 89 minutes. Fortune has started nine of the past 10 matches.

“It’s pretty impressive that he made it through the time that he did, and how effective he actually was,” Valentino said.

Call-ups. Several Atlanta United players have been called to their national teams for next week’s FIFA window, with more expected.

Those called up are Gregersen by Norway, Bartosz Slisz by Poland, Saba Lobjanidze by Georgia and Efrain Morales by Bolivia.

Among others who could be called up are Alexey Miranchuk by Russia, Fortune by Trinidad and Tobago, Abram by Peru, Ronald Hernandez by Venezuela and Luke Brennan and Noah Cobb by the U.S. Under-20 national team.

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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule

Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1

March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0

March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0

March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0

April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1

April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2

April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1

April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1

May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1

May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup