The Union look for a fast start to finish off Atlanta in their Champions League series at Subaru Park

Leon Flach is expected to play a big role, stepping into the starting defensive midfield slot for the suspended José Andrés Martínez.

Leon Flach, left, celebrates with Kacper Przybylko, right, and Jack Elliott after one of Przybylko's goals against Atlanta United in the first game of their Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal series.Read moreKim Ahrens / Philadelphia Union

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published May 3, 2021, 7:28 p.m. ET

Ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League quarterfinal home game against Atlanta United (8 p.m., FS1 and TUDN) the Union added a dose of luck to their 3-0 aggregate lead when Atlanta manager Gabriel Heinze announced that stars Ezequiel Barco and Jürgen Damm didn’t travel because of injuries suffered in a game over the weekend.

But Union manager Jim Curtin is taking nothing for granted as he pushes his team to get out to a fast start and put the game out of reach before Atlanta can try to mount a comeback.

“I think we’re going to approach the game and take it in 15 minute blocks, and certainly the first 15 minutes is probably the most important for setting the tone of what the game is going to look like,” he said. “Both teams will be a little bit short handed, I believe, and on very short rest, which makes it difficult for both teams. But in our home stadium we always like to be proactive, and not reactive and allow it to be a situation where they jump out on top of us like they did in Atlanta.”

Leon Flach is expected to play a big role in that, stepping into the starting defensive midfield slot for the suspended José Andrés Martínez. Flach has played in central midfield in his appearances for the Union so far, but he played the defensive slot at his previous club, Germany’s St. Pauli.

“If you ask Leon, that’s his position that he grew up in the [St. Pauli] academy playing, he’s comfortable playing — he would call himself a 6,” Curtin said. “When he’s played on the side of the diamond, it’s great because he has the instincts of a 6 and also of a left back, and the closing speed and all the things that go along with those two positions. … We’re going to get to see him in that deeper role, which is a good thing — we’ll obviously be missing Jose for the next league game as well.”

Curtin also said he might tweak the team’s formation to play with two defensive midfielders instead of one if Flach needs some help.

“We have to be able to see what the game needs, a bit of cat-and-mouse and see what their approach is and how they come at us,” Curtin said. “The onus is on them [Atlanta] to obviously come into our building and go for it. I’m sure they will, and we need to be disciplined and intense and not give away silly fouls, silly mistakes, and try to keep a zero [on the scoreboard] for as long as possible.”

The excitement within the team is clear, and the excitement should be clear to fans. This team is 90 minutes away from a semifinal matchup with the Portland Timbers or, more likely, Mexico’s Club América — the superpower team of the continent’s king of soccer nations.

“It’s a very big moment,” Union goalkeeper Andre Blake said. “We’re very close to getting into the semifinals, the final four. Definitely big for the club, you know, and we just have to enjoy the moment and keep going.”