Coming off the best season in the New England Revolution’s history, and despite last season’s heartbreaking first-round playoff exit at the hands of eventual champions New York City FC, the Revolution is locked and loaded to make another run at the MLS Cup. This season the team was able to do something no team had done since Los Angeles FC in 2019, where they broke the MLS points record. This came after only being four years removed from an eighth place finish in the Eastern conference, and the firings of their head coach Brad Friedel and general manager Mike Burns.
Now led by head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena, the team as a whole has shown massive growth, coming up from the very bottom of the organization all the way to the top. A reinvestment into the Revolution Academy program, and the inception of a USL Championship partner club, Revs II, have only added to the pool of talent being cultivated.
While young star Tajon Buchanan left to join Belgian side Club Brugge in the offseason, the Revolution was able to bring in talent across the lineup to hopefully ensure a continuation of last year’s run. The Revolution acquired midfielder Sebastian Lletget from the Los Angeles Galaxy, who has all the necessary skills to complement reigning MLS-MVP Carles Gil in moving the ball up and around the pitch.
In addition to Lletget, the Revolution acquired veteran defender Omar Gonzalez from Toronto FC – presumably to mentor the young and exciting defenders Henry Kessler and Jon Bell, as well as to fill in when needed. Rounding out the offseason signings for the first team, striker Jozy Altidore was brought in to lessen the blow if, or when, current striker Adam Buksa’s rumored move back to Europe is completed this year. Altidore and fellow forward Gustavo Bou could create an unstoppable duo well-versed in physical play and quality on top of the ball.
Though he’ll only be with the team until June, reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Matt Turner will not be finishing the season in New England, as the team agreed to a seven-million dollar deal that sees Turner going to Arsenal in the English Premier League. There, he’ll fill the role of back-up keeper Brad Knighton will likely take over the job of starting keeper once Turner leaves, with either Earl Edwards Jr. or first round selection in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, Jacob Jackson, stepping into the open role.
The team was initially slated to kick-off for the first time in competitive play in the CONCACAF Champions League this past week, but Haitian side Cavaly AS was unable to secure visas for their players and staff before ultimately forfeiting both legs and sending the Revolution into the next round of the tournament. As a result, the Revolution will end up playing the winner of Pumas vs Saprissa. In place of the original two legs, the team scheduled closed-door friendlies with Hartford Athletic and El Paso Locomotive to aid the roster in their efforts to be match ready for the start of the regular season on Feb. 26. The Revolution are scheduled to open the year in a thrilling cross-conference battle against MLS Cup runner-up’s, the Portland Timbers at Portland. The Revolutions will host FC Dallas in their home opener at Gillette Stadium on March 5.
With a roster remaining fairly unchanged with the exceptions of Buchanan and Turner post-June, Bruce Arena’s objective is clear; lead this team to their first MLS Cup trophy in team history. Thanks to an exceptional level of intrasquad chemistry, world-class talent on offense and stout defense built directly from the MLS SuperDraft, the Revolution are primed to make another run at the elusive MLS Cup.
