Atlanta United today announced that midfielders Ezequiel Barco and Gonzalo MartÃnez, goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Leandro González Pirez have been voted to the MLS All-Star Game Fan XI presented by Target. The MLS All-Stars will take on Atlético de Madrid July 31 at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.
Barco and Guzan have been named MLS All-Stars for the second consecutive season while MartÃnez and González Pirez have been selected for the first time. Barco, recently back from a standout performance with Argentina at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland, has scored four goals and added one assist for Atlanta this season. He has been named MLS Player of the Week twice in 2019.
Guzan has posted a league-best eight shutouts in 2019 through Atlanta’s first 15 matches. Atlanta has conceded 11 goals, the fewest in MLS this season and Guzan’s shutout streak of 520 minutes is the longest in MLS this season and ranks 10th place among individuals in league history.
MartÃnez, making his first All-Star appearance in his debut MLS season, has scored one goal and added two assists in 14 appearances in 2019. González Pirez has won 64 percent of his duels, the highest rate in the league for players with a minimum of 100 duels. His 139 recoveries are tied for fifth in MLS among field players and he also ranks in the top 10 in interceptions.
The full All-Star Game Fan XI will be released tomorrow. The 2019 MLS All-Star gameday roster, consisting of 24 players, will be announced at a later date and will include the 2019 MLS All-Star Fan XI presented by Target, two Commissioner’s Picks, and 11 players selected by the All-Star Head Coach. The coach will select the starting 11 from the 24-man MLS All-Star roster.
Atlanta United returns to action on Wednesday, June 26 when it travels to face Toronto FC (8 p.m., FOX Sports South, Sports Radio 92-9 The Game).
