RSL set for 2025 kickoff in Costa Rica to test the depth, fight against a new team

San Jose, Costa Rica – Last year’s Real Salt Lake season started in Miami against Lionel Messi, but the kickoff from 2025 is also not a cake walk.

RSL starts the season Wednesday in Costa Rica against the Herediano in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the first international competition of Claret and Cobalt since 2016.

The Costa Rican Club is unbeaten in the inland league game and leads the Primera division through nine games. RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni and midfielder Emeka Eneli spoke the media on Tuesday after her first training in Estadio Nacional in the Costa Rican Capital of San Jose.

“We know that it will be a dog struggle; it will be a battle,” said Eneli. “So we know that we have to match this intensity and bring the same struggle. And I think if we do it, it will be a good game tomorrow and we can achieve a result.”

In each of his first two seasons with RSL and numbers in each of his first two seasons this year, Eneli took on a larger role this year, especially given the early absence of the member of the US national team Diego Luna due to a nose fracture in the last US game against -funny Enough – Costa Rica.

Luna -The reigning MLS Young player of the year -did not make the trip to Costa Rica and Plant this weekend in San Jose, California, before the MLS start on Saturday against his hometown club The EarthSquakes and the former RSL striker To take part in Chicho Arango.

So who appears in Costa Rica without Luna and – now that it was mentioned – Arango?

This is the 1.5 million dollar question for RSL.

From the point of view of the investment, the big bet on the stop last year is signed, the Diogo Goncalves, an attacking midfielder who has not yet achieved his goal potential in Claret and Cobalt.

The other 2024 supplement, which is expected to make a leap into productivity, is Dominik Marczuk, a Polish winger whose physical talents are undeniable, who, however, is working on the financing of the end pass and the last shot in the attacking third of the field.

Two names come to mind for the striker position when RSL wants to replace 17 goals from Arango last season: Forster Ajago and Ari Piol.

Ajago had a lead after he came from Nashville SC in the low season, in contrast to delayed integration due to Visa processing from Australia for Pil. Both have the persistence to drive the backline and finishing skills in front of the goal and will likely share the load for RSL this season.

The other end of the field will also see some newcomers for RSL. The 34-year-old Brazilian Rafa Cabral is expected to begin the goal instead of the injured Zac Macmath. The new defenders Sam Junqua and Kobi Henry could also take into account, especially in view of the club’s decision on Tuesday, to part with Veteran from Andrew Brody outside of the back.

“(It is a real, competitive group of people who want to get better, boys who want to learn and especially boys who want to win,” said Mastroeni. “So the game of tomorrow will be a new campaign, but against A great team, and I’m really looking forward to seeing all the fruits of our work in the previous season. “

The match against the Herediano on Wednesday begins at 4:30 p.m. MST and can be viewed in the Tubi Streaming Service. RSL returns to Utah to see the second stage of the Matchup in the first round, which will be played on Wednesday on February 26th at 6:30 p.m. MST in the America First Field.