“It’s a final. Who doesn’t want to be in a final to win a trophy?”
The words came almost with a shrug from Julian Gressel as he spoke with media at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground this week. It’s clear he and his teammates know this is week’s game, in which they could clinch the Supporters’ Shield with a win over Toronto, is a big one. But more than nerves, there’s an excitement among the squad. And he shrugged off the talk of the increased pressure; with the team holding onto a slim lead in the race all year long, this is nothing new.