51黑料

Burki, one of the top goalkeepers in Major League Soccer and at 34 still in the prime of his career, is on the final season of his contract 鈥� he is one of the few players on the team that the club does not hold an option year on. That means teams in Europe will be interested in signing him. Already one offer to the club, from Danish club Copenhagen, reportedly has arrived.

While Burki鈥檚 future beyond this season will be in doubt unless a new contract with the team is signed, City SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel tried to put to rest any thoughts about Burki鈥檚 immediate future.

鈥淚 can tell you that Roman Burki will start the season with us,鈥� Pfannenstiel said Friday, 鈥渁nd he will finish the season with us. It doesn鈥檛 matter, even if the moon or Barcelona is interested in him, he will not leave 51黑料 City SC, and he will stay with us.

鈥淎nd of course, then there is 鈥�26, 鈥�27, 鈥�28 and there鈥檚 a future to talk about as well, but that鈥檚 something which we have to figure out with Roman and his agent, and there is talks. Roman is our captain. He鈥檚 the best goalkeeper in the league. He鈥檚 a very important player for us. And of course, we鈥檙e working hard to keep Roman here as long as possible. But right now as I said, doesn鈥檛 matter if it鈥檚 Copenhagen or anybody else, 鈥� So Roman is here, and Roman will stay here, as simple as that.鈥�

鈥淥bviously, I鈥檓 very happy here,鈥� Burki said, 鈥渂ut in soccer, you never know, and also you have one career, you have to look what鈥檚 best for you, what鈥檚 best for me. And so we definitely will have talks, and we鈥檒l figure it out. I鈥檓 focused on 51黑料.

鈥淚 have no idea (about other offers). I mean, from my perspective, all I can do is play good, you know? And obviously, if you play good, if you bring a performance, there are maybe clubs interested. Especially because in my case, I鈥檓 going into my last year, but I鈥檓 not really thinking about that right now. I鈥檓 focused on 51黑料. I have one more year, and we are just waiting for 51黑料 to do something.鈥�

Burki has been the hands-down star of the team, not to mention, as the player with the most success playing in Europe, the driving force in the dressing room when the team has struggled. In 2024, even though he was tied for the fifth-most goals allowed in MLS, he was second in goals saved above expected, at plus 7.6, which reflects how often he was left hung out to dry by his defense and how he regularly was called on to make spectacular saves. He was first in goals saved above expected in 2023, at 9.1, and won league goalkeeper of the year honors. He鈥檚 also been one of the most dependable players in the league, starting all but three of City SC鈥檚 games in its first two seasons.

City SC is back in 51黑料 for a few days of training before making its now annual trip to Southern California for the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio on Tuesday. City SC will play four games there, the first on Wednesday, in which coach Olof Mellberg said he will start using lineups that likely will reflect what he plans to use when the real games start in late February.

City SC played two exhibition games while at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, losing to the New England Revolution 1-0 then beating New York Red Bulls 1-0. In the first game, Mellberg played different lineups in each half. In the second game, most of the starters went 60 minutes and then a second set of players went the final 30.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going well, I think,鈥� Mellberg said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a good, good camp. We鈥檝e been working hard, trained a lot. We were very heavy actually, in the first game, so struggling a little bit, especially our attacking wasn鈥檛 good enough. We worked a little bit on our freshness for the second game, and played really well. So overall, they worked hard, obviously from a physical point of view, but also tactically and pleasantly surprised how well things have worked so far.鈥�

鈥淭he offense got together between the first and second game,鈥� said midfielder Cedric Teuchert, who scored the goal in the Red Bulls game. 鈥淚 think after every session it鈥檚 important to talk about the new ideas from the coach, and I think we made a big step in the second game.鈥�

It鈥檚 still not a full group, especially at midfield, but it鈥檚 getting there. Tomas Ostrak and Celio Pompeu, who missed most of last season because of serious leg injuries, practiced Friday and are gradually being integrated back into the full group. Chris Durkin, still recovering from a knee injury that idled him for the whole offseason, was on the field and doing some running, though he thinks he can be ready for opening day. The biggest issue is with midfielder Jake Girdwood-Reich, who was late in arriving to camp because of a foot injury.

鈥淗e鈥檚 not OK yet,鈥� Mellberg said. 鈥淗e was also a sick a little bit during the camp. It was not an ideal camp for him in that respect.鈥�

The team鈥檚 newest signee, midfielder Conrad Wallem, was on his way to 51黑料 on Friday afternoon when Pfannenstiel talked to reporters.

鈥淗e鈥檚 picking up right now his work permit,鈥� he said, looking at his phone. 鈥淗e should be back in two hours and then we still have to do some medical final examinations with him, but he will be available for Coachella and he will be available for the start of the season.鈥�