Head coach Raphael Wicky and Chicago Fire FC are back on the road for the second weekend of the 2020 MLS regular season campaign, this time for a meeting with Eastern Conference counterparts the New England Revolution.
Ahead of Saturday's 12:30 pm CT start time, get the scoop on the Fire's starting XI below and tune in for kickoff on WGN-TV and ESPN+:
- Wicky will begin with the same starting XI he led with against the Seattle Sounders last Sunday.
- After joining the team for training in Chicago this week, Designated Players Ignacio Aliseda and Gastón Giménez are among Wicky's 18-man roster and are available off the bench against the Revolution.
- Defender Francisco Calvo wears the captain's armband again today after being given the honor last Sunday in Seattle and makes his 25th appearance for the Fire.
- After scoring his first Fire goal last week in his MLS debut, Robert BeriÄ will lead the line this afternoon in New England.
- Djordje MihailoviÄ returns to the starting lineup and makes his 55th Fire appearance after notching an assist on BeriÄ's goal last weekend, the ninth of his career.
- Fresh off of his 125th MLS regular season appearance last weekend in Seattle, Johan Kappelhof anchors the backline in central defense this afternoon.
- Homegrown rookie Mauricio Pineda and Ălvaro MedrĂĄn are both back in Wicky's midfield after earning their first Fire appearances last week in Seattle.
- Despite being listed as questionable entering the weekend, midfielder PrzemysĆaw Frankowski gets the starting nod on the wing today
- Midfielder Micheal Azira is available off the bench to begin the match after making his 125th career MLS regular season appearance as a substitute last weekend in Seattle. His next start will be his 100th in MLS regular season play, dating back to his league debut in 2014.
- Other potential Fire debutantes today include defenders Wyatt Omsberg and Miguel Ăngel Navarro, and goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. All three are available for selection off the bench this afternoon.
- Forward CJ Sapong will miss his second straight match as he recovers from a thorax muscle strain, and defender Nick Slonina is listed as out with a hip muscle strain. For the full MLS injury report, click here.
Get a look at both side's starting lineups as they're available in the graphics below:
