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• Colorado Rapids v Minnesota United: Loons 'start from zero' in every game – Ramsay

  Eric Ramsay urges Minnesota United not to get ahead of themselves despite a high-flying start to the season as they prepare to travel to Colorado Rapids.

  Minnesota have lost just two games in the MLS this season and are currently second in the Western Conference after a run of five without defeat.

  However, Ramsay is keen to make sure his side do not get complacent despite their good run of form.

  "I'm trying not to read too much into the table because it changes so quickly," he said. 

  "You can feel as we are at the moment that you're on a really good run, but when you look at the table, and you find you haven't really got much separation, although you feel like you've had five games when you've had to grind out good performances and results.

  "I've used the phrase with the players a few times that we're starting from zero every game. Our form that we go into games with is meaningless."

  Colorado are just three points behind Minnesota in the table, sitting in sixth, having alternated between a win and a loss in their last six matches.

  Head coach Chris Armas remains optimistic after their defeat to FC Cincinnati last weekend, saying: "We're on our way to becoming a really good team," he said.

  "The results show that, the performances show that, the mentality of the team shows that. We've beaten some pretty good teams this year.

  "We gave everything we had [in the defeat to FC Cincinnati] and fell a little short, but it makes us no less competitors or winners. We think we're better for [the loss]."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

  Navarro is the first Rapids player since Kei Kamara in 2019-20 to score in four consecutive regular-season matches. Only three players in the team’s history, most recently Omar Cummings in 2010, have scored in five straight league matches.

  Minnesota United – Joseph Rosales

  Rosales has recorded an assist in five consecutive regular-season matches for Minnesota United, the first player to do so in the team’s history. Rosales has totaled seven assists in those five games after recording just two assists in his first 53 MLS matches.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  The Rapids suffered a 5-3 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday, the club’s fifth defeat of the season. Colorado have bounced back following their first four losses of the season, winning the next match three times, and drawing once.

  Minnesota earned a 2-1 win against the Rapids in their last visit to Colorado in March 2023 – it was their first road win against the Rapids in club history (D1 L5 prior).

  Indeed, Minnesota have 24 points from their first 12 games this season (W7 D3 L2), six more than they have ever had at this stage of a season before. The Loons have won four of their last five matches (D1).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Colorado Rapids – 36.1%

  Draw – 25.8%

  Minnesota United – 38.1%

• Tchouameni to miss Champions League final, Euros place in doubt

  Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will miss the Champions League final due to a foot injury and could be a doubt for the Euros.

  The 24-year-old, who has made 38 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish champions this season, has not played since he suffered a stress fracture during Madrid's Champions League semi-final win over Bayern Munich earlier this month.

  Madrid play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1.

  And ahead of Los Blancos' final LaLiga match of the season against Real Betis on Saturday, Ancelotti confirmed the former Monaco star's injury is relatively serious.

  "He's doing individual work but he's not ready for the (Champions League) final," Ancelotti told reporters.

  "Let's see if he's ready for the Euros."

  France coach Didier Deschamps named Tchouameni in his 25-man squad for Euro 2024, which starts on June 14.

  Meanwhile, for Madrid, Saturday's match is an opportunity for fans to bid farewell to Toni Kroos, who is retiring after Euro 2024.

  The 34-year-old is one of Madrid's most successful players, winning the Champions League four times during his 10-year stint with the club.

  Having also won the title once with Bayern Munich, the Germany international could become only the second player after Madrid great Paco Gento to win six European crowns.

  "I don't think it was a difficult decision for him. Veteran players, legends, have to choose their destiny. Toni has made that decision and it must be respected," Ancelotti said.

  "We have to say goodbye to him as best we can. I respect his decision. Saying goodbye like this would be ideal. Then you have to have the courage to do it and I have a lot of respect for what he has done.

  "Replacing someone like this is almost impossible, but this squad has resources in young people so that they take responsibility and follow the path set over the last 10 years."

• Atlanta United v Los Angeles FC: Pineda insists Five Stripes 'on the right path'

  Gonzalo Pineda insists Atlanta United "are on the right path" as they look to get back to winning ways in MLS.

  The Five Stripes are 12th in the Eastern Conference following a run of eight matches without victory.

  Although, they enjoyed a reprieve in the U.S. Open Cup last time out, defeating Charleston Battery on penalties to reach the quarter-finals.

  And Pineda hopes his side can build on that momentum when they welcome Los Angeles to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

  "I think we are on the right path," he said. "I think it is really encouraging for the team, for the mentality of the team, to win. 

  "There are many positives out of that. We have to hold onto that positivity, and the mentality of the players that fought and put that together on Saturday."

  "I think that, especially being at home, we need to make sure we are on the front foot right away," midfielder Dax McCarty added.

  "Obviously, our stadium is such a fortress. When you score an early goal, you get everyone excited and the other team feels that pressure, which is such a benefit."

  By contrast, LAFC are fifth in the West and on a four-match winning streak across all competitions – during which they have scored 11 goals and conceded just once.

  "The team is in a good way – winning games, scoring goals and not conceding – and we'd like to continue that," head coach Steve Cherundolo said.

  "We feel good about the moment we're in, and our players are confident. 

  "The players have shown an amazing response [to their defeat by San Jose Earthquakes at the start of the month]. We were shooting ourselves in the foot by making some mistakes in portions of the field where we don't usually do that.

  "The message was that we are really in control of our own destiny, which is a great place to be."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Atlanta United – Thiago Almada

  Atlanta will be hoping for inspiration from the likes of Almada as they look to end their winless streak.

  The Argentina international has scored in two of their last three league games on home soil.

  Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga

  Bouanga scored both goals in LAFC’s 2-0 win over St. Louis City last time out in MLS.

  He has now found the net 33 times since the start of last season (including play-offs), seven more than any other player during that time.

  MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC

  Only once in their MLS history have Atlanta endured a longer winless streak, going 12 straight games without victory between May and August 2021.

  Meanwhile, LAFC have won successive games to nil for the first time during the regular season since August 2022.

  That came after they recorded just one victory while keeping a clean sheet in their previous 21 such matches.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Atlanta United: 38.2%
  Los Angeles FC: 32.8%
  Draw: 29.0%