This offseason, the Chicago Fire brought in a new player who filled an outstanding positional need in the squad. 29-year-old central defender Marcelo was acquired from Sporting CP to partner with the longest-serving player currently on the roster, Johan Kappelhof.
It’s early days, and the Fire’s results haven’t lived up to even modest expectations. But on the backline, at least, there are signs that the partnership between Kappelhof and Marcelo is starting to come together.
In many ways, Kappelhof and Marcelo are very similar players. They’re both very comfortable on the ball and willing to push forward if they are given the space to do so.