“I’m enjoying being in the US and just being at a club like Atlanta.”
And with that, Ezequiel Barco began his first press conference as an Atlanta United player. With media from all over the city packed into the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground, he shook hands with head coach Tata Martino and sat down to answer questions with Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra.
“This is a special day for us,” Bocanegra said, “it feels like it just keeps getting better around here. [Ezequiel] is a young exciting player we’re looking forward to having out there on the field, we know the fans are looking forward to seeing out on the field. This is a big day for us in Atlanta.”
The excitement was palpable as local media met the new record signing for Major League Soccer. Bocanegra said how Barco contributes to the team will ultimately be up to head coach Tata Martino, but added he adds an exciting new dimension to the team no matter where he plays.
“The overall strategy with bringing Ezequiel in was now we have another dynamic attacking player. So he can play on the left and come inside, he can play in the center or on the right. He can play all across the middle, which we like. But he’s shifty. He combines well, his style of play matches up well with Miguel, Josef, and the other players in our attack to create good combinations and unbalance defenses.
Despite his young age, Barco left as as the Copa Sudamericana champion, where he starred for Argentine club Independiente.
“It was a very important step in my career,” he said, through a translator. “It was something great to be able to achieve with Independiente, especially at a club who gave me everything. So it was important for me to leave as a champion.”
Barco was so indebted to his old club that he made a donation to build pitches there after his departure. But he said it was time to look forward to the next chapter, and he’s ready for this new adventure.
“My teammates have really helped me adapt to the team quickly. I’m really happy to be here. I just want to say thanks to everyone here who’s helped me settle into the team.”
Bocanegra urged patience for a young player, saying Barco is an exciting piece, but still just one piece of the collective.
“He’s 18 years old still, so he comes in and we expect him to be a factor, definitely a dynamic factor and help the team out. But I think we all need to realize he’s still 18, he’s another piece of the puzzle. He’s going to be a great piece of the puzzle we hope, but we don’t want him to come in with the expectation that he needs to score 20 goals and put the team on his back. We feel like we’ve built a strong team and he’s another very good piece of the puzzle to come in and push the team forward.”
Atlanta United now takes the next step in their preseason journey in Charleston before making their MLS return on March 3rd on the road against Houston. They’ll then return to Atlanta for their Mercedes-Benz Stadium debut on March 11th against D.C. United. Tickets for that are still available – make sure you’ve reserved your spot here.
