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Seattle Sounders: 5 questions for the 2020 season

By Paul Taylor

SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 10: The Seattle Sounders celebrate their 3-1 win after the MLS Championship match against Toronto FC on November 10, 2019, at Century Link Field in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 10: The Seattle Sounders celebrate their 3-1 win after the MLS Championship match against Toronto FC on November 10, 2019, at Century Link Field in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MONTERREY, MEXICO – MAY 01: Tournament’s trophy is seen in the field prior the final second leg match between Monterrey and Tigres UANL as part of the CONCACAF Champions League 2019 at BBVA Bancomer Stadium on May 01, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

4. How will the Sounders fare in the Champions League?

How much does the CONCACAF Champions League mean to Seattle this season? As reported by Charles Boehm of Mlssoccer.com, consider the words of general manager and president Garth Lagerway:

"“I think we’re going to play our experienced group, by and large, in the Champions League; we’re going to respect our opponents that way. And we’re going to have to make do with what we can in MLS. I do think we’re going to use some of our young players in these first couple months of the season in particular. Hopefully they swim and don’t sink.”"

No MLS team has ever won the Champions League, although Real Salt lake, Montreal and Toronto have all appeared in the final. At least Seattle is in a favorable position with just one Liga MX Team in their half of the draw — a Tigres UANL team which went to the finals of this competition last season — and the earliest they can meet them is in the semi-finals.

First things first though, Seattle must face CD Olimpia, although even here they have the advantage of the second leg being at home. For what it’s worth, they have recent experience of dealing with the hostile atmosphere away to CD Olimimpia in 2015, albeit they lost 1-0 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Overall, it’s obviously going to be tough for the Rave Green to become the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League, especially as at the time of posting there are still a number of spots to fill in their roster. However, you can still argue they may never get a better opportunity to accomplish the feat.

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