Oscar Pareja said allowing his Orlando City players to rest after their exit from the Leagues Cup was crucial ahead of resuming their MLS season against Sporting Kansas City this weekend.
The Lions were knocked out by Cruz Azul in the last 32 of the competition, losing in a penalty shootout at the Inter&Co Stadium following a goalless draw in normal time.
They return to league action having gone into the break five games unbeaten, sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference table heading into the final fixtures of the campaign.
And Pareja is confident that their two-week break will have his side fit and firing for the business end of the season.
“We definitely have put in two weeks of hard work, but at the beginning of the first week we tried to rest a couple of our players,” Pareja said.
“After the amount of games we had, it was healthy for us to recover some of our players and then the rest of the time we have dedicated our time to recovering for our next games.”
Kansas City were also knocked out of the Leagues Cup at the last 32 stage, comfortably beaten by Columbus Crew, who play Los Angeles FC in the showpiece match this weekend.
They resume their league season sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference table, triumphing in two of their final four fixtures (D1 L1) before the break and closing the gap to FC Dallas.
Despite their heavy defeat in the Leagues Cup to the Crew, head coach Peter Vermes was able to pinpoint areas in which his side could improve upon their MLS return.
“I thought we did a really good job,” Vermes said of the team’s first period. “I thought tactically and work ethic-wise, we were very good.
"We didn’t provide them with a lot of options to play. A lot of balls went wide, and we forced them backward. I thought we did a great job of that.”
“We over-committed to one side, especially in our midfield,” Vermes said. “We didn’t have any pressure on the ball, and it was an easy run in behind us.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kansas City – Willy Agada
Kansas’ leading marksman, Willy Agada, has five goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions, and he will be key to breaking Orlando’s winning run.
His strike against St. Louis City last time out was his 20th goal in the MLS since his move from Hapoel Jerusalem in 2022, reaching that tally in 51 appearances.
Orlando City – Martin Ojeda
Ojeda has contributed to a goal in each of his last six MLS appearances, equalling the longest single-season streak by an Orlando player.
This will be the Argentine’s first appearance against Kansas, and he will be looking to add to his 12 goal involvements in all competitions upon his return to league action.
MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO WIN
Orlando have won four of their last five regular season matches before the Leagues Cup break, with no team collecting more points than the Lions’ 13 in July, while they also led the MLS in goals scored (14) and were tied for the fewest conceded (three) last month.
Kansas City has won four of their last five home matches against MLS opposition in all competitions (D1), including a 2-1 win over Chicago in the Leagues Cup last month.
The last six meetings between the two sides have been split with each team winning twice and drawing twice. All four wins in that time were by one-goal margins, so expect a tightly contested affair at Children's Mercy Park.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Kansas City – 33.2%
Draw – 25.6%
Orlando City – 41.2%
Juventus swoop for Fiorentina star Gonzalez
Juventus have confirmed the signing of winger Nicolas Gonzalez from Fiorentina in a reported €32 million move.
Gonzalez finished last season with 14 goal contributions in Serie A as Fiorentina finished eighth and reached the final of the Europa Conference League for the second year running.
The forward also helped Argentina win the Copa America in the off-season, and on Sunday, completed his switch to Turin.
Speaking of Gonzalez's addition, as well as the impending signing of Francisco Conceicao from Porto, new Juve boss Thiago Motta said: "They are strong players which is why they will come to our squad. Every player that arrives will give us a big hand to be competitive until the end.
"That is the case for those already here and those who will arrive."
Motta's team started their Serie A campaign with a 3-0 win over Cesc Fabregas' Como last week, and face Hellas Verona on Monday.
"We remain with our feet on the ground after the first day of the championship," Motta said on Sunday.
"Now we are on the second day, we face a team that is in good form after their victory against a team that is a serious candidate for the Scudetto.
"We played at home against Como, which was a good performance and a good result for us. Tomorrow I expect a different story and we have to be ready for everything.
"You look at it from the outside but from the inside my life is beautiful. I wake up early with great energy and enthusiasm to come to training.
"I find myself with fantastic people who have that same enthusiasm. I find myself with guys who arrive with a huge desire to improve."
Nottingham Forest bring in Porto defender Carmo
Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of David Carmo from Porto for £10m (€11.7m), with the defender going out on loan to Olympiacos for the season.
The Portuguese-born defender, who represents Angola at international level, spent the second half of last season in Athens.
Carmo joins on a five-year deal and is Forest's ninth signing of the summer transfer window.
He began his career at Braga before moving to Porto for €20m in the summer of 2022, but only managed 27 appearances before being loaned to Olympiacos, who are owned by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, in January.
Meanwhile, reports emerged on Sunday that Forest's move to sign Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah had broken down.
Nuno Espirito Santo's team are, however, rumoured to be in talks with Feyenoord over Mexico forward Santiago Gimenez, who scored 23 Eredivisie goals last term.
Liverpool still have a lot to prove, claims Slot after maiden Anfield win
Liverpool still have "a lot to prove" despite maintaining their strong start to the Premier League season, so says new boss Arne Slot.
Goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah in Sunday's 2-0 win over Brentford continued the Dutchman's perfect record as Reds head coach following their opening-day win over Ipswich Town last week.
Slot's side are yet to concede a goal this term, scoring four in return, as he became the first Liverpool boss since April 1991 to win his first two league matches in charge.
Yet Slot knows it is early days as he aims to walk in the shoes of the legendary Jurgen Klopp.
He told BBC Sport: "The fans loved to see the team playing really well but they also loved to see the team working very hard.
"I liked what I saw so if I like it then mostly the fans like it.
"Again we won against Ipswich, won against Brentford. Two good teams but I am not expecting them to be in the top six in the upcoming year so still a lot to prove for us in the upcoming weeks and months."
Liverpool were frustrated in their attempts to extend their lead against the Bees by visiting goalkeeper Mark Flekken, who made six saves, but Slot was quick to point out the defensive solidity shown by his team, who limited Brentford to just 0.36 expected goals (xG).
"Most importantly, we did not concede much," the former Feyenoord coach said.
"The only big chance we conceded was a set piece and that is always so difficult when you play Brentford. They can threaten in many ways but one is certainly set pieces, and we controlled that quite well apart from that one moment."
Slot also praised many of his players for returning from their holidays in fine physical condition, and he thinks that has been one of the main factors in Liverpool achieving two wins out of two so far.
"The players came back after three weeks of holiday and in most cases two weeks before the start of the games but they came back really strong physically", he said.
"Compliment to the players for how they came back and, like I have said, we haven't changed much compared to the former regime, so it is not so difficult for them to start playing again. That was a very positive thing."
Slot's biggest test as Liverpool coach comes next week, with the Reds heading to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
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