Sunday, the Columbus Crew welcome Philadelphia Union to historic Crew Stadium. While the Union won a Supporters’ Shield last year, the team lost players that made it the top team in Major League Soccer the regular season. Defender Mark McKenzie and attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson were key players in the 2020 campaign and both now play outside of the United States.
Columbus has its own roster gaps to fill, but for a different reason. Injuries have already taken players away from the Crew. Some for short periods of time, like midfielder Darlington Nagbe and Marlon Hairston.