The Chicago Fire know they have to improve upon a disappointing, 5-win 2020. They get their 1st opportunity Saturday at Soldier Field as the new MLS season begins.

Jeremy Mikula, Chicago Tribune
·7 min read

It probably should come as no surprise the Chicago Fire think they will be better than their five-win effort in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

It also probably should come as no surprise that — outside of even the most optimistic of fans and blogs — the external reaction to the Fire is: Prove it.

Thus sets the stage for the Fire as they begin the 2021 Major League Soccer season Saturday against the New England Revolution at Soldier Field (7:30 p.m., WGN-9). About 7,000 fans will be allowed to attend for the first time since 2019.

How much the Fire improved — and whether it is enough to get them into the postseason for the first time since 2017 — will be front and center.

The match marks the start of Year 2 under sporting director Georg Heitz, technical director Sebastian Pelzer and coach Raphael Wicky. And unlike last offseason’s frantic turnover, the Fire took a calculated approach this time around, making only a handful of signings in the name of squad continuity despite a 5-10-8 record.

Whether that strategy pays off is the question — but oddsmakers, analysts and experts aren’t keen on the Fire, predicting them to miss the playoffs again.

“Obviously it should give us a little stimulus to prove them wrong,” Wicky said this week during a conference call. “That’s how I see it. But everyone has the right of free speech and (can) say and write what they think, so that doesn’t really concern me.

“I know and we know that when we have a roster complete and we have our guys back (from injury), that we have a very good roster. ... I’m very happy with this roster and I think there’s a lot of quality and a lot of competition, and competition will push each other (and) will make the players better.”

Here’s what to know about the Fire as they start the season.

Who’s in and who’s out?

The Fire signed just four players in the offseason — forward Chinonso Offor, winger Stanislav Ivanov, defender Jhon Espinoza and striker Jhon Jader Durán, who won’t join the team until 2022.

The limited number of signings was intentional as the Fire hope increased familiarity will bring about improved results, Heitz said.

“We had so many new players last season, we have to be careful otherwise we will never be successful,” he told the Tribune earlier this year. “These players all need a bit of time to adapt, and if you bring in another six new players, seven new players, this doesn’t help at all. They have to get used to this special league.”

Meanwhile, the Fire parted with forward C.J. Sapong, midfielders Djordje Mihailovic, Jeremiah Gutjahr, Micheal Azira and Brandt Bronico and goalkeeper Connor Sparrow.

Mihailovic arguably is the Fire’s biggest loss after leading the team in assists last season. He was traded to CF Montréal in a deal worth up to $1 million.

Who else besides Robert Berić will score goals?

That’s one of the biggest questions for the Fire entering the season.

Berić scored 12 goals in 23 games, but the Fire otherwise lacked a reliable scorer. Midfielder Fabian Herbers (four), midfielder/defender Mauricio Pineda (three) and winger Przemysław Frankowski (three) were the next highest.

Álvaro Medrán and designated player Gastón Giménez are among the silkiest midfield pairings in MLS, but they combined for just two goals. Ignacio Aliseda scored just one.

The return of attacking midfielder Luka Stojanović, who played only 60 minutes last season before suffering a knee injury, is one player to watch.

But throw in a slew of preseason injuries — including Ivanov, who will be out for at least three more months — and those questions could persist throughout the season.

What about the U.S. Open Cup?

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was canceled last season because of COVID-19 and was set to return in 2021 with a tweaked qualification process for U.S.-based MLS clubs based on the standings after three weeks of the season.

That would have given the Fire — who play at Atlanta United on April 24 and at the New York Red Bulls on May 1 — extra incentive to start well and prove their rebuild is on the right track.

But Friday afternoon the competition’s committee announced the tournament would not be held this spring. The announcement also said the tournament could return in some form later in the year but there is no guarantee.

“The logistical and financial burdens to have the tournament take place this spring in the current environment are substantial,” Open Cup Commissioner Paul Marstaller said in a statement. “Even though all of U.S. Soccer’s member professional teams will be playing in their respective league competitions this year, the committee did not feel it wise to have clubs divert important resources during the next two months for Open Cup play.”

The Fire have won four Open Cups since their inaugural 1998 season but last won it in 2006, the club’s most recent trophy.

Fans — and ice cream nachos! — are back at Soldier Field.

There’s no telling what might have been for the Fire in 2020 had there not been a pandemic — they were closing in on a sellout for last season’s much-ballyhooed return to the lakefront.

When the Fire finally returned to their former home, it was without fans.

This season should be different, with the Fire allowed up to 25% capacity (about 15,300) as the season progresses. (Oh, and fan-favorite ice cream nachos are back this season too.)

“We were all looking forward to the home opener last year that we were going to have with fans but we never, unfortunately, got to experience that,” Pineda, a Bolingbrook native, said last week. “I think the whole group is excited for fans to be in the stands, and of course my family is from here, so I’m looking forward to having them in the stadium too. So that will be really exciting.”

For many members of the Fire, including Wicky, Saturday will be their first time in front of home crowd at Soldier Field.

“There’s going to be real fan noise and real people there supporting us, pushing us, so we are just excited about that,” Wicky said.

One thing to keep an eye on: Because the Fire share the stadium with the Bears, the schedule is skewed heavily toward home games in the first half of the season. After Aug. 14 the Fire have only four matches at Soldier Field compared with 11 away.

What channel will games be on?

The Fire have 32 of 34 regular-season matches on WGN-9. Two matches will be on national TV: May 22 against Inter Miami CF and Aug. 1 against the Philadelphia Union, both on Spanish-language UniMás.

New this season for local telecasts is a free streaming platform on the Fire’s website and app for fans who live within 75 miles of the team’s designated market. Fans outside those 75 miles can watch via an ESPN+ subscription.

Announcer Tyler Terens and analyst Tony Meola will return for their second seasons on the broadcast team. NBC soccer voice Arlo White is expected to call matches this summer between the end of the Premier League season and start of the Tokyo Olympics. White originally was set to call Fire matches last season before the pandemic altered plans.

Is that ‘Fire Crown’ crest changing?

Yes — but not until next season. Team owner and Chairman Joe Mansueto said all along if fans weren’t happy with the crest, the club would change it.

Fans got their wish, and the much-maligned crest will be scrapped after the season.