Availability report and match preview: 5-Stripes return from break to primetime Southern Showdown

A Southern Showdown looms. A matchup for pride, position and for the South. What a way to get things started again after the break. 

Atlanta United returns to MLS play at 8 p.m. ET Friday night against rivals Nashville SC. The match will air on FOX as well as Apple TV in a spot nestled right between the semifinals and the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. In other words, the world will be watching. 

The 5-Stripes are rested and renewed, and they're looking to right the ship after some turbulence in their first 14 matches of their season. Friday night won't be a catch all, but a result against Eastern Conference first place Nashville would be quite the way to make an impression on the other side of the MLS regular season.

In a match already sure to bring fireworks on the pitch, Atlanta will be bringing over 400 supporters to GEODIS Park to bring the ATLien energy and momentum from what has been a Summer of Soccer to remember. Head coach Tata Martino in his crew will not be at full strength, but they will see one key returner from the world's tournament. 

Availability upon Atlanta United's return

Atlanta United's two center back signings, Júnior Alonso and Paulo Díaz, will not be available for the 5-Stripes Friday night. The two are still working out their visas to be able to be registered to the squad. Stian Gregersen, another center back, also ends up on Thursday's report questionable with a quad injury. Forward Sergio Santos will miss the match as well with a calf knock.

Miggy's return in red, black and gold

Those updates aside, much of the focus will be on Miguel Almirón Friday night. Atlanta United's number 10 returned from representing Paraguay at the World Cup in a memorable campaign. Their upset of Germany in the Round of 32 gave their nation its first knockout win at the tournament since 2010. 

"I think it was a beautiful experience, not just for myself, but for all my teammates and all the Paraguayan people who were watching," Almirón said in Spanish Thursday. "As a team, we competed well ... You saw us compete against the best teams, and I think that speaks well to the work we did."  

Almirón returns to the A in high spirits having put together a campaign to be proud of with Paraguay. It's a situation where he'll be a key player in a much-needed turnaround. 

"Right after the France game ended, I switched my attention right back to focusing on Atlanta United, and I was back here with the group a few days later," Almirón said. "We're all conscious of the situation that we're in. We're all working really hard to continue improving."

Physically fresh, mentally molding

The break was a great chance for the 5-Stripes to rest their fitness, but their mental game is their first focus upon their return to the pitch. 

"The first thing we have to change is the attitude, the ambition," Almirón said. "We have to want more as a group." 

Nashville presents an easy opportunity to get fired up. The 5-Stripes pulled off an improbable upset in this fixture last year when they beat a previously unbeaten Nashville side at home. Friday night's match presented the same circumstances, as the hosts haven't suffered defeat at GEODIS Park this season. 

Martino, though, tends to put much more of his own focus, and by extension his team's focus, on what they can do as opposed to the rival in front of them. 

"It's the same as the first 14 matches. We're not just focused on facing the opponent who's up next on the schedule," Martino said in Spanish Thursday. "We're also continuing to work on our team and facing the challenges that we're working on overcoming as a group."

Since they've returned to training, the 5-Stripes have faced MLS opposition to get the gears turning again. Atlanta United played to a 3-2 win against Sporting Kansas City July 9.

Though the match more about getting minutes under the players' legs, Martino and his staff did some experimentation that could show up in regular season play. Designated players Alexey Miranchuk and Emmanuel Latte Lath switched spots in the attack, with Miranchuk as a false No. 9 and Latte Lath on the wing. We'll see whether those changes stick against a Nashville team that has conceded nine goals 

"In that sense, I think the team is continuing to improve," Martino said. "Now we'll face the first test against Nashville."