Real Salt Lake 2023 Season Preview

Cherundolo's experience, following Bradley

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2023 Schedule

• First game: Feb. 25 - 10:30 pm ET at Vancouver Whitecaps FC
• Home opener: March 11 - 9:30 pm ET vs. Austin FC
• Full schedule
• Watch on MLS Season Pass
• Buy the 2023 jersey

Armchair Analyst's Breakdown

• Strength: They play hard as hell and are loaded up with speed, so when they hit those big, diagonal switches that are the foundation of Pablo Mastroeni’s approach, they will be murder in the open field.
• Weakness: Their frenetic, all-in approach can leave them wide open and makes them prone to the sort of game-changing individual errors that most top teams avoid. And unless Damir Kreilach can get 100% healthy and turn back the clock, they’ll be at least one match-winner short.

Key Departures

• Aaron Herrera: Longtime right back Aaron Herrera was traded to CF Montréal this winter. The RSL homegrown made 124 appearances over five seasons and is among the best right backs in the league.
• Sergio Córdova: Last year’s leading scorer will feature for a new MLS team this year, signing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Venezuelan international Sergio Córdova had 9g/2a in 33 appearances while on loan from German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg.

Key Acquisitions

• Andrés Gómez: This winter, Real Salt Lake acquired rising Colombian winger Andrés Gómez from Millonarios on a club-record deal. The 20-year-old, signed via the league’s U22 Initiative, scored 12 goals in 58 appearances during Millonarios’ last two seasons.
• Brayan Vera: RSL signed another Colombian this offseason: left back Brayan Vera. Vera is a well-traveled defender, making appearances in Colombia and the top two divisions in Italy.
• Full roster

Projected Starting XI

Predictions

• Marcelo Balboa: 9th in West
• Charles Boehm: 7th in West
• Tom Bogert: 9th in West
• Matt Doyle: 11th in West
• David Gass: 9th in West
• J. Sam Jones: 8th in West
• Sacha Kljestan: 9th in West
• Kaylyn Kyle: 9th in West
• Joseph Lowery: 11th in West
• Melissa Ortiz: 11th in West
• Danielle Slaton: 6th in West
• Andrew Wiebe: 7th in West
• Bradley Wright-Phillips: 8th in West

Odds & Ends

• Head coach: Pablo Mastroeni
• Stadium: America First Field
• Last year: 12W-11L-11T, 47 points, 7th in West
• Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Round One

All 2023 season previews

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