When Atlanta United signed Franco Ibarra ahead of the 2021 season, most people expected — more than anything — someone to compete with Santiago Sosa for the No. 6 pivot in the midfield. The most notable entry in Heinze’s style is this Regista that can convert the back-four into a back-three on the transition. While Ibarra sometimes fit himself as a No. 10 at Argentinos Juniors, he thrived more in a deeper position in the midfield.
So far though, Heinze has utilized Ibarra in three distinct roles in Atlanta’s first nine matches. Here we’ll discuss each role, and where Ibarra is expected to line up most often this season: