Atlanta United midfielder Franco Ibarra knows his role.
Asked how many chances it would take him to hit a 22-yard free kick like the winner Thiago Almada hit Saturday in a 2-1 victory against San Jose, Ibarra didn’t try to guess.
“I think every player needs to know their quality,” he said. “So just like you wouldn’t ask me to score that goal, I wouldn’t ask Thiago to make a ton of tackles and go recover as many balls as I do.”
Ibarra did a lot of each of those against San Jose. He led the team in tackles (3), many of them with a professional touch of malice, and recoveries (7).
Manager Gonzalo Pineda has taken to describing Ibarra as the physical force in the midfield – and Matheus Rossetto as the cerebral force.
Ibarra seemed good with that Tuesday, likening himself to an enforcer ready to take care of teammates such as Luiz Araujo and Thiago Almada, should they get kicked by opponents.
“It’s important for me to make my presence known and in the middle of the field so that players on the opposing team know that I’m there,” he said.
Ibarra, who is 21 years old, has been a bit of an enigma since joining the squad before the 2021 season. In 36 appearances before Saturday’s opener, he had only one assist and struggled with injuries.
Because the team has Santiago Sosa, who is considered the team’s best defensive midfielder, several managers have tried to play Ibarra as a central midfielder. Vice President Carlos Bocanegra said last year that the team considers Ibarra’s natural fit as a central midfielder, whose job it is to link defense to offense. Ibarra said he’s glad to play the position if that’s what the manager asks, but it seemed clear that he prefers to play as a defensive midfielder, or a 6, in soccer parlance.
“As a 6, I like being in the middle of the field, always being there to help my teammates to let them know that I’m there to cover for them at all times,” he said. “So I think I’m just used to it from playing as a kid.”
Ibarra sometimes has shown the skill as an 8, or central midfielder. Against San Jose, it was his tackle, followed by a deft pass to Andrew Gutman, that led to the penalty kick that Araujo missed. Ibarra completed the second-most passes (61) on the team and second-most completed passes in the field’s final third (21).
Ibarra started most of the team’s preseason friendlies and likely will start Saturday’s game against Toronto because Sosa is serving a suspension. When Sosa returns, Ibarra said it will be up to Pineda to decide who starts.
‘l’ll do my best in the games to show what I can do,” he said. “But ultimately, it’s a coach’s decision. It’s not about who’s playing or not. It’s about what’s best for Atlanta United.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
March 11 at Charlotte FC, noon, Fox
March 18 vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
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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