National Writer: Charles Boehm<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The grin flickered across Julian Gressel<\/a>\u2019s face, followed by a slight chuckle, as he made a rare exception to the usual \u2018one game at a time\u2019 mantra so beloved by players and coaches when speaking to the media.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The reunion with his old team was still a week and a half away, with two other opponents to face first. But what would be the point in pretending such a tasty occasion wasn\u2019t looming on the horizon?<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, that motivates me,\u201d said Minnesota United<\/a>\u2019s newest arrival last week as he spoke to reporters in Loons colors for the first time. \u201cThat’ll be a special game.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Fate and the schedule have aligned to pit the German-American veteran against his former club, a matter of days after his exit from Inter Miami CF<\/a>. The Herons visit Allianz Field on Saturday (4:30 pm ET | Apple TV – MLS Season Pass<\/a>) for a spicy Matchday 12 fixture the home side hope to turn into a northern ambush of the league\u2019s glamour side, who will fly straight to California afterwards for a midweek encounter with the San Jose Earthquakes<\/a> that will add up to well over 5,000 flight miles by the time they’re back home for a Rivalry Week clash with Orlando City SC<\/a> on Matchday 14.<\/p>\n It all makes for an irresistible narrative around this battle of the birds. Particularly given the abrupt, absolute manner in which Gressel was demoted from key piece \u2013 he started 31 league matches for IMCF and ranked third on the team in assists in their march to the 2024 Supporters\u2019 Shield \u2013 to outcast following the winter arrival of head coach Javier Mascherano.<\/p>\n The two-time MLS Cup winner and 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year didn\u2019t play a single competitive minute for the Herons this year, despite the intelligence, versatility and eagle-eyed service into the penalty box that made him a favorite of Masch\u2019s predecessor, Tata Martino.<\/p>\n \u201cCoaches make decisions for different reasons,\u201d said Gressel of Mascherano. \u201cHe probably did his homework watching games last year, where obviously I played a lot, so he had a lot of footage to watch! But yeah, he basically told me that he doesn’t think I’m going to fit his system. And yeah, that’s kind of his decision that he made \u2026 and I’m grown up enough to respect that and then be OK with that, and ultimately try to just find the best solution to that situation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Don\u2019t miss out on this exclusive MNUFC vs. Inter Miami match top \u2013 available only at the Black & Blue Team Store at Allianz Field. pic.twitter.com\/Mfd0Xj7rP0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) May 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n That \u201csituation\u201d rumbled on for months; \u201cIt took a lot longer than I thought,\u201d Gressel admitted, as he and his camp sought a new destination via a transaction that would also allow Miami to gain salary-budget relief. As jarring as the climatic and cultural change can be from South Florida to the upper Midwest, it seems to have worked out as a win-win in the end.<\/p>\n \u201cThe second he became a possibility, we started to have some conversations,\u201d MNUFC coach Eric Ramsay said, calling Gressel a \u201cserial winner\u201d \u2013 and the Englishman has put him to use immediately, bringing him off the bench in last weekend’s road win over Austin FC<\/a> and starting him in the Loons\u2019 midweek US Open Cup<\/a> victory at Louisville City.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to bring players in that you can say with certainty are going to have a level of influence on the team\u2019s success. The fact that he has not played for five or six months with any real regularity doesn\u2019t seem like it will be an issue. I think he\u2019s a guy who will have looked after himself really well and should be able to hit the ground running.\u201d<\/p>\n In logistical terms, his and his family\u2019s move is still very much in progress: \u201cI’ve been tasked with the job of finding a house and a school, so no easy task there,\u201d joked Gressel, whose wife Casey and their two young children will likely relocate from Florida to the Twin Cities next month, after the school year ends. But this weekend\u2019s game has probably been on his mind in some form or another for months.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nIced out in Miami<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Loons come calling<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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