Preseason Primer: Atlanta United vs Charleston Battery

We’re expecting to get our first glimpse of Gabriel Heinze’s side in action.

By Kyle Soto@_Sotinho Mar 18, 2021, 3:01pm EDT

MLS: U.S. Open Cup-Charleston Battery at Atlanta United

Update: Atlanta United confirmed the scrimmage session will be live-streamed (click here) on the club’s website. Unfortunately, the live stream will be geoblocked outside of the club’s local market, according to a press release. New manager Gabriel Heinze will also speak to the media after the scrimmage session.

New Atlanta United coach Gabriel Heinze and his developing team continue their pre-season grind with a scrimmage against USL Championship club Charleston Battery on Saturday.

According to a tweet from Doug Roberson of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Saturday could be the first time followers of Atlanta United will have the chance to watch the Five Stripes play under Heinze as Atlanta United is expected to livestream Saturday’s session.

Details about #ATLUTD "friendly" against Charleston on Saturday.
It's scheduled at 10:30 a.m.
It will be livestreamed.
It will be 4, 30-minute periods.
Teams will wear training kits.
Heinze scheduled to speak to media after the game. It'll be the first time since late Dec. #MLS
— Doug Roberson (@DougRobersonAJC) March 16, 2021

We will update this post when/if the club releases details about streaming the “scrimmage”.

Instead of a traditional two-half soccer game, this scrimmage session will consist of four 30-minute periods. While Heinze works to impose his philosophy and style of play on the team, this will also serve as a fitness session to get the team in good enough shape to execute Heinze’s desired pressing style at a high level.

Atlanta played Tormenta in a closed-door friendly 3-0 win last Saturday. If that didn't hit your radar or you missed the highlights, take a look at this clip the club released last weekend.

Highlights from our first scrimmage of the season pic.twitter.com/TTdZ0tNZYI
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) March 13, 2021

There are some interesting talking points, such as Marcelino Moreno’s and Ezequiel Barco’s positions and the young players who got minutes. Oh yeah, and Josef is back. But it’s pre-season and the club released basically no information about the last scrimmage, so we have little to work with. Hopefully, there will be more substantive metrics to measure the team by after Saturday’s scrimmage.