Chris Armas wants Colorado Rapids to use their trip to Austin FC as preparation for the start of the playoffs when they meet in the final game of the MLS regular season.
Colorado secured their playoff place last month but are not yet sure where in the Western Conference they will finish.
Other results could see them move up or down the table, and after losing their last three matches, Armas is keen to finish the regular season on a high.
"You can tell something different is in the air," he said. "The playoffs are here.
"The energy in the team is really good, and we're looking forward to the weekend and the big test in Austin.
"We want to use it the right way, to finish the season in the right way and get into the right mindset for the first playoff game."
Meanwhile, Austin sacked head coach Josh Wolff after a 2-1 defeat to LA Galaxy last time out ensured they would not make the playoffs.
Davy Arnaud will take interim charge for their final game of the season, and his sole focus is on getting three points on Saturday.
"You saw guys [in the last two games] who are still giving everything they have," Arnaud said, as quoted in the Verde All Day substack.
"For me, there would be no reason that it wouldn't be a very similar feel inside the stadium on Saturday, and I think they'll see a group that I'm hoping that they're proud of, that still represents this club in a really good way, despite the fact that we won't be in the playoffs.
"I've loved my time here in Austin, but I think it's too early to really fully talk about those things right now because we have a focus on Saturday."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Sebastian Driussi
Each of Austin's last 15 goals have been scored from open play dating back to mid-June, with their most recent being scored by Sebastian Driussi last time out against LA Galaxy.
Austin have not scored from a set piece since a penalty goal on June 1 and have not scored a non-penalty goal from a set piece since late May.
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
Djordje Mihailovic (11 goals, 12 assists) is the first player in Rapids history to record 10 goals and 10 assists in a single regular season.
He enters the final day of the season tied with Diego Rubio (2022) for the most goal contributions in a single season in Rapids history.
MATCH PREDICTION: AUSTIN FC WIN
Austin are winless in five straight regular-season home matches (D2 L3) for the first time in club history. They have managed just one win in their last eight matches at Q2 Stadium dating back to late May (D3 L4), but they will be keen to sign off for the season with a victory.
Colorado have never lost away against Austin FC (W1 D2), with the last two meetings between the sides at Q2 Stadium ending in draws. The Rapids are one of two teams (Seattle Sounders – four) to play three or more regular-season away matches at Austin without a loss.
Colorado have collected 50 points this season after totalling just 27 in the 2023 campaign. The 23-point improvement is the largest year-over-year improvement by the Rapids in the club's MLS history (excluding the shortened 2020 season), surpassing a 21-point bounce from 2015 to 2016.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 40.7%
Draw – 26.7%
Colorado Rapids – 32.7%
Real Salt Lake v Vancouver Whitecaps: Mastroeni targets place in club history
Pablo Mastroeni is not shying away from Real Salt Lake's desire to make club history when they conclude their regular-season campaign against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
RSL have been among the Western Conference pacesetters all season and enter the final MLS matchday fourth with 56 points from 33 matches.
One more victory will set a new single-season franchise record, a fact Mastroeni reminded his players of before they beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 before the international break.
"I normally focus on just the one game, but the only way to get to 59 was to make sure we won in San Jose," Mastroeni told KSL Sports.
"It's about just putting a little bit of carrot on the end of the stick. It's not easy to make history at a club.
"I just told the guys this is an opportunity to etch your name in stone as far as the regular season is concerned. It's a 34-game season, it's long and to be able to achieve that would be great.
"When you can see a commitment to the cause, it's really about those real things that make the team successful."
Vancouver, meanwhile, sit eighth in the standings and are guaranteed a play-in spot, though they must better Minnesota United's result to clinch automatic qualification.
Head coach Vanni Sartini believed his team deserved better after they lost 2-1 to Los Angeles FC in midweek, a result that took their fate out of their own hands.
"We have to work. At this moment I'm very disappointed, I've got to be honest," Sartini said.
"I just wanted to say congratulations to the guys, congratulations to the fans, they were amazing. We played a fantastic game and we deserved to win."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango enters the final match of the season with 17 goals, tied with Alvaro Saborio (2012) for the most in a single season in Real Salt Lake's history.
His 12 assists this season, meanwhile, are tied for second-most in club history behind Albert Rusnak's 14 in 2017.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
White has scored a goal on each of his last five regular-season road appearances, the longest streak in Vancouver's MLS history and the longest streak in MLS since Josef Martinez netted in seven straight on the road from May to September in 2019.
MATCH PREDICTION – REAL SALT LAKE WIN
Real Salt Lake have won three straight matches against Vancouver for the first time in club history. The only longer winning streak in the 32-match history of the series was a four-match run by the Whitecaps from 2014 to 2015.
The hosts enter the final match of the season on 56 points, one away from equalling the club's single-season record of 57 set in 2012.
The Whitecaps, meanwhile, have lost three straight regular-season matches for the first time since the start of last season. They are winless in six straight league matches, equalling their worst run of the year.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake – 45.1%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 28%
Draw – 26.9%
Depleted Girona hoping for strong support in Real Sociedad battle
Girona coach Michel is counting on the club's fans to give his depleted team a much-needed boost when they host Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday.
Girona ended a six-game winless streak across all competitions by beating Athletic Bilbao prior to the international break, but they have lost several key players to injury.
Pau Lopez, Yaser Asprilla, Bryan Gil and Daley Blind are among those to be sidelined ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures prior to the November international break, including two Champions League matches against Slovan Bratislava and PSV.
"We have seven games in 21 days and we are short of players. We will have to call up five players from our youth academy for tomorrow's match," Michel said on Friday.
"Sociedad have a great squad and should fight to be at the top, but I also think the same about us.
"It's important that the fans are with us, I didn't like the way they booed us the other day [against Athletic].
"My players fight for every ball and they deserve to wear the Girona shirt. I hope the stadium will be full, we need it very much in such a historic season."
Backed by the wealth of their Abu Dhabi owners, Girona went toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the title race last season, beating Barcelona twice before finishing third and qualifying for European football for the first time.
However, they have struggled this term with only three wins in all competitions, suffering losses to Feyenoord and Paris Saint-Germain in their first two Champions League matches.
Michel said: "We have players with personality and character. They also have a special motivation to be here.
"I'm worried about injuries because of the calendar... There's the Copa del Rey, two Champions League games, LaLiga... I'm worried, of course, but it is what it is.
"The players do everything in their power to make our fans proud of them. That's why I think that together we are stronger and at home we need the fans to be our 12th player."
Conte: League leaders Napoli still a work in progress
Antonio Conte believes there is still plenty of work for Napoli to do, despite sitting top of the Serie A standings.
After narrowly edging past Serie B side Modena on penalties in the Coppa Italia first round in his first game, Conte followed it up with a 3-0 defeat to Verona in his first league match.
Since then, Napoli are unbeaten, winning six of their next seven games, only dropping points in a goalless draw with the Italian's former club, Juventus.
However, despite their impressive form, Conte is wary of getting too carried away.
"We are with the 'work in progress' sign, it cannot be otherwise after only three months," Conte told a press conference ahead of Sunday's game at Empoli.
"Otherwise, we would all underestimate the path that needs to be taken in a reconstruction phase like ours. We're just getting started.
"Victories are built, they are not invented, but what I feel I can guarantee is to rebuild solid foundations that can last over time."
The international break has left Conte without midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, injured while playing with Slovakia.
Lobotka has started all seven league games under Conte and was an ever-present in the starting side last season, but the manager is confident that Scotland international Billy Gilmour is ready for what will be his first Serie A start.
"It's not a very serious problem but we have to face it and recover, obviously I'm sorry because he was expressing himself at very high levels, but at the same time it will be an opportunity to see Gilmour," Conte said.
"Billy knows what he has to do, he hasn't trained only in these two days, but from the beginning. It changes little, the characteristics are very similar. If Gilmour hadn't been there it would have been different."
Napoli's bid to remain on top will face a stern test away to Empoli. The Tuscan side have lost only once this season, and have the second-best defensive record in Serie A, conceding four goals in their seven games.
"We are talking about a team that suffered their only defeat before the break, in the last minutes and on a difficult pitch, against Lazio at the Olimpico," Conte said.
"It is precisely in these matches that the spirit of sacrifice, according to the Empoli players, becomes an important weapon for them.
"I will not tolerate a spirit of sacrifice inferior to that of Empoli."
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