Thomas Müller said he wants a final against Lionel Messi as the Vancouver Whitecaps prepare for the Western Conference final. Vancouver must first beat San Diego FC this Saturday to reach the MLS Cup match.
Müller, 36, is leading the Whitecaps in his first MLS playoff run and in the club’s first Western Conference final. He said his past with Messi makes him hope for a final. “My history with [Messi] forces me to hope for a final,” he told MLS. “To me, Messi is the greatest player we have in this game … but I will hunt you [Messi] again.”
Vancouver reached this stage after a win over LAFC on penalties following a 2-2 draw. Müller said big games bring out the best in teams. “When you get closer to finals, you get to play better teams,” Müller told assembled media this week. He added that playing under pressure drives him to perform. “They should feel it. They should feel the pressure, but they should deal with it in the right way,” Müller said. “The good thing in such a reactive game like soccer is when the referee blows the whistle, you don’t have a lot of time to think about anything, so we just play.”
Müller noted the win over LAFC will be remembered, but he said the team must focus on the next match. “We went through, and everyone will remember that,” Müller said of the win over LAFC. “But nobody remembers the quarterfinals. A quarterfinal is just played to get to the semifinal or to go on holiday. The goal is always to get to the final, and that’s our next step, and that’s what I’m focusing on.”
San Diego expect a full house at Snapdragon Stadium. They have had a strong first season as an expansion club led by Anders Dreyer. Dreyer scored 19 goals and had 19 assists in the regular season and has four goals and an assist in four playoff games.
Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter will be key for Vancouver. He spoke calmly about pressure. “Pressure, for me, is someone that you create in your own head,” Berhalter said. “I think we’ve dealt with that really well this year, not making it more than it is. We’re playing a soccer game and alongside a bunch of best friends, and we’re just going out there and having a good time.”
Coach Jesper Sørensen will make defensive changes after Tristan Blackmon’s red card. Mathías Laborda is likely to move into the center back role while Ralph Priso will continue to cover in front of the defense. Sørensen said the team’s flexibility has helped them this season and will be important again. He said the squad can make tactical changes during games to influence the result.
If Vancouver wins, they could face New York City FC at BC Place or Inter Miami in the MLS Cup. A final with Miami would again pit Müller against Messi after their meetings in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Vancouver enter this match with confidence and a record season behind them. The club reached the Concacaf Champions Cup final, won their fourth straight Canadian Championship, and set many regular season club records. The team now looks to take the next step toward the MLS Cup.
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