UEFA Champions League semis set, Open Cup news, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy Thursday. We will get right into the soccer cuz there was a ton of news:
Saka scores ‘magnificent’ goal as Arsenal beat Real Madrid (BBC)
The UEFA Champions League semifinals are set: Arsenal vs. PSG and Barcelona vs. Inter Milan. The winners will meet in the final in Munich on May 31st.
Loudoun United played Louisville City in the US Open Cup on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, they fell 2-1. The draw for the next round is this morning at 9:00am (reportedly on CBS Sports Golazo), so we’ll learn who DC United will host in their first US Open Cup match.
D.C., Commanders close to a stadium deal at RFK site (WaPo)
Looks like the mayor is close to striking a deal to bring the Commanders back to the RFK site. We’ll see if it is pushed through.
MLS Fantasy Focus: Lawrence Dimmick (DP)
Rick gives us the updates needed to get our fantasy teams ready for the weekend.
USMNT midfielder Diego Luna met actor Diego Luna…or did actor Diego Luna meet USMNT midfielder Diego Luna? Either way, it was awesome.
Hey Spirits episode: A business trip to Loovull (DP)
A new Hey Spirits episode recapping the big win in Louisville!
England to host Jamaica in last match before Euros (BBC)
The Lionessess will face the Reggae Girlz in their final tune-up match before the Women’s Euros this summer.
Ex-Cincinnati forward Boupendza dies after fall from 11th floor (ESPN)
Sad news out of China as former FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza died after falling from a building.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
https://www.usltactics.com/p/usl-championship-expansion-2025-promotion-relegation
Late Tuesday, Russell Canouse announced that he’s retiring from soccer. Definitely sad to hear but not completely surprised, UC is a chore to handle even after the surgery (which helps). One of our consistently solid players for years under so many coaches, a good destroying DM is never appreciated enough these days.
Yeah, he was a great player for a long time, and unless we re-sign Joe Willis or Paul Arriola or something, he’ll have the distinction of being the last player to play for both DC at RFK and at Audi Field.
Getting his real estate license was a really great bit of forward thinking by him too. I wish him the best, and thank him for all the memories. It was only a matter of time before it worked out for him at right back.
I hope to see him around the stadium. I am sorry that this illness tilted the scales away from pro soccer, but I am hopeful that he is doing well.
It seems like he and the team are on good terms, given that they published the announcement together. So I’m sure we’ll see him in the stands here and there.
Russell Canouse was always really solid as a player and a human being. Best of luck in his new full time career and I hope that we see him around Buzzard Point often.
Multiple reports that DCU is one of the 4 MLS teams interested in Kevin De Bruyne. Not sure this makes sense for us because (a) it’s a summer league and (b) it’s a physical league–both of which work against him staying healthy. That said, this interest sounds plausible. We have a DP spot open–most clubs don’t. And our owners don’t seem willing to spend money–unless it’s on a “bling player” who has reputation even if he’s aging. And it is true that we desperately need a real #10. We’ll see.
…I don’t know if it would make sense to bring him on though considering his age, the physicality of MLS, the travel, and that he’d be coming off an EPL season.
He’s going to Miami. Of course….
…on a TAM deal of course….
Yeah, this does seem like a trademark Levien move. And honestly, those moves (Rooney, Benteke) have worked out better than when the team has gone for a player in his prime who’s succeeded in multiple leagues and we could build the team around (Flores, Taxi).
I don’t think it’s the right move for what Ally and Troy are trying to build, but I’m also at the point where I’m like fuck it, let’s have some fun. See what de Bruyne and Benteke can do together, and I guess just keep trying to build the core and supporting cast of the team in the meantime.
deBruyne has a solid locker room rep. Obviously, his game is elite. We need something. I say roll the dice and fill the seats. Hiring him does not wreck us long-term, but I understand the mileage may vary (injuries). We have all kinds of tariff-free Belgian-style beers in the DC area, plus an embassy!
Yay for Belgian-style beers! Also for Belga Cafe in WDC.
The air is awash with the scent of Brussel sprouts…..
DeBruyne is coming….
If DC does sign De Bruyne, he’ll join the list of prestigious Kevins to play for the Black and Red such as Kevin Ellis, Kevin Paredes, and Perry Kitchen.
You’re going to have to explain that Perry Kitchen reference.
When Kitchen and Zlatan were both playing for the Galaxy, Zlatan was fully convinced Perry’s name was Kevin. Pablo mentions it in his long story on Zlatan’s MLS experience
God, I miss Zlatanisms…..
Fans should be clear eyed about what they’d get from a De Bruyne signing.
When healthy, he’s an assist tank. Truly one of the most creative players to ever grace a football pitch.
The problem is, being a DP for a desperate MLS team is designed in a lab to destroy his crumbling constitution. Travel, physicality, transitional play that requires a lot of running, players who have no issue breaking his lower body. And let’s be clear, he’s looking for a new challenge because he doesn’t want to accept a more limited minutes regimen for a Champions League contender.
If we sign him, I fully expect we’d have incredible nights of viewing, combined with inevitable dismay as he sees the injury list more than the pitch.
I don’t think building around him is a good idea, and good luck telling him no.
Your hesitation has merit, but I say sign him or fade away and possibly Precourt this sagging franchise.
1) I think Louisville hosted Tuesday vs Loudoun U (not being picky)
2) Andor is a terrific Star Wars series, give it a try if that stuff is up your alley
3) Once the new RFK stadium is built, the Spirit can sell that our too
4) Best wishes to Rangers today at 3pm (not holding my breath, however…)
Re #3, with DC United making plans to expand to 30,000 (that will be a neat feat of engineering), I would prefer to see the Spirit stay at Buzzard point. Be interesting to see if Michele Kang can cut a deal with Levien and Kaplan for shared ownership and parity of treatment re match dates, etc. I do expect DC Power FC to fold.
Updated #1, that was tired me haha
YOU are so awesome at this stuff (now I am being picky, LOL). Thank you for all your great work on DP and elsewhere!
Coffee Pot Cup!
https://thedistrictpress.com/2025/04/17/dc-united-draws-charleston-battery-in-u-s-open-cup-round-of-32/
Which I think we’ll lose given our defense…..that or it’ll be a barn burner of goals.
So how badly do we lose the first round of the Atlantic Cup this weekend? That is if the league is still calling it The Atlantic Cup….
The Red Bulls have been kind of trash recently. Obviously a lot less trash than we’ve been, but y’know. Weird things happen in MLS.
Behind the scenes at Loudoun, things appear to be…not great. Pablo’s got quite an article out on the Athletic: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6281237/2025/04/17/loudoun-united-usl-championship-washing-jerseys/
For those without the subscription, the url hints at the story. Players having to wash their own jerseys, the showers not working, the turf coming up at the seams, and general neglect. The lack of GPS monitoring really got me, since I’ve seen some of the travel teams at the U18 level around here using it. Amazing that a pro team doesn’t have it.
There’s also potential of a third ownership group coming in – one of the youth soccer travel team conglomerates that’s out there (Virginia Revolution). Sadly, this might actually give the players access to better training facilities, since they apparently don’t use DC United’s anymore.
It also appears that the GM might be fired, or pre-fired, or some degree of on his way out. Coach Martin appears to have managed to save his job by winning and not complaining. Sounds like pre-Audi Field days at DC United.
I remember when the Spirit shared time out at Segra that they were not pleased with the accommodations. It’s too bad that the new ownership group didn’t help improve things in that way.
Loudoun themselves have now confirmed that Virginia Revolution have joined the ownership group
Indeed they have, I got the email not long after I hit submit on that post. I wonder how much they pushed the announcement up because of the article.
It’s kind of weird. Regardless, a bunch of the DC Bayern peeps are going to the Riverhounds/Loudoun game Saturday. My first time. Looking forward to it. 87 F and sunny!
Despite the bare-bones nature of…well, everything there, it’s a good time. I wish more people were out there at games, but when it’s lightly attended, you can largely roam where you want to get the best view for the game situations. My son and I usually move around based on where Loudoun is attacking, but sometimes we’ll spend time with the supporters group. It reminds me a lot of going to minor league baseball games in Syracuse as a kid in the 80s. Sometimes it’s cool, and you get to see guys that will eventually be good – Paredes, Akimboni, hopefully soon Aboukoura. Or you get a glimpse of guys that haven’t given up yet (Nyeman), or are easing into the end of their careers (Santos). Other times, it’s the beginning of Major League, where the groundskeepers say “who are these guys?” But it’s soccer, there’s drinks, and it’s right in front of you.
Yeah Old Glory DC wasn’t pleased with the field conditions either, but now love the field conditions at the Maryland Soccerplex.
I’d be very wary if I were Birnbaum, walking into this mess. The guy who put this (currently successful) team together being pushed out, with the (currently successful and well-regarded) coach being on the chopping block, and a group of guys who hate the people holding the money bags. It’s not a good look to be moved from DC Power so quickly, for any party.
Sticking him with DC Power seemed to be not great either. And the fact that it’s him just because he’s still under contract with DC (even though he was bought out?) isn’t a good look for the DC United organization either.
When have we in “recent history” seen a good look from the organization?