The bye week let FC Dallas give its players a few days off before resuming a regular schedule this week. That, plus the lack of a match last weekend, may have led to a lighter feeling around the FCD training ground ahead of Saturday's match against Columbus. Coach Oscar Pareja said he wants his players to be aware that they're doing many of the things they need to be while continuing to put in the hard work that has produced good results so far.
"First, I want the team to have the knowledge that we're in an important stretch, but at the same time I want them to have the freshness, the freedom and the joy of knowing that comes we're doing things really well.