Timbers 5-4 win over Minnesota was a forward step for Cifuentes’ team, tonight’s test might be even harder

The Catalan coach’s style, self-described as the Barcelona 3 Ps (Pressure, Possession, and Position), is taking off, though it hasn’t been without snags. Austin proved to be a surprise rock in the way; was the win over Minnesota unnecessary suffering, or a showcase of this new era against a very difficult team?

The last two games at Providence Park for the new-look Timbers, led by coach Martí Cifuentes, had been hot and cold. The difference might have been the nature of the rivals, on top of the team’s evolution into the new philosophy. Austin was a decisively defensive team that thrived on keeping the opponent from attacking and hoped to nick a goal on an error. That’s exactly how they won 2-1 at Providence Park.

Minnesota United was a different animal, a more balanced team that plays all field with a more capable offense. Neither team is having a great season, but United is known to be a difficult side. The “Loons” gave them a more open game, where Cifuentes’ philosophy is more effective, and they have capable players who can exploit space. Timber’s defense doesn’t seem able to lock games down, and teams that are good in transition find and exploit those spaces. Both teams played high pressure, but with the Timbers’ advantage, they forced Minnesota upfield and broke the game. It was 5-4, but it could have been a ridiculous result.

Martí Cifuentes’s path to coaching began in his 20s, when CE Sabadell’s first-team coach trusted him to run the U19 team and later made him an assistant with the first team. His time at the Cruyff Institute gave him the chance to gain on-field experience at Ajax in Amsterdam. He continued to build his experience in England (QPR, Leicester), Sweden (Hammarby, AIK), and Norway (Sandefjord). He follows a somewhat unconventional path; he never turned pro, and for a youth coach, it is rare to have such a meteoric trajectory, climbing to top leagues in 15 years across six countries, seven if you count his time in Catalonia.  

Cifuentes is a firm believer in the school of Cruyff’s total football. Johan Cruyff, the Dutch legend for Barcelona and the Netherlands national team, was, for him, both an admired player and the inspiration that has defined his career. He told the Coaches’ Voice in 2025, “I felt the joy of that Cruyff way of playing. It moved me.” He met him personally while studying for an MBA in Sports Management at the Institute he founded and named after him, the Johan Cruyff Institute, now known as The Johan Cruyff University.  

His admiration for that football style and its evolution, as interpreted by his disciple Josep Guardiola, clashed directly with the more physical, less polished leagues he had to work in. He remained fervent in his commitment to the positional game of total football, but adapted it into a pragmatic approach. This clash shaped his style, known for bringing his philosophy and blending it with the team’s strengths and weaknesses. His exquisite taste for attacking football balances with his understanding of the local league’s culture.

Like many young coaches, we are watching a career still consolidating. At the helm of the Timbers, game by game, we are seeing the team transform. He has a knack for taking the reins midseason, getting his first full week of training with the team after the first two games. Last Saturday, it had been exactly one month since he landed in the city. That is six games he has had with the team; cue your favorite western and see him jump onto a galloping horse. 

These last two matches can’t define a tenure that’s lasted exactly six games, but we are starting to see differences in this team’s playing style. Today it’s game seven against St. Louis City SC. This team comes to Portland sitting fifth in the West Conference and having had a much more consistent regular season than Portland and Austin. They play compact at the back and have more quality than Austin did to hurt on the counter. This is the polar opposite of Cifuentes’ style, and this clash of styles is yet another huge test for this team. 

It remains to be seen how confident the Timbers are after last weekend’s win over Minnesota United. Beyond individual performances, the dynamics of a team that let in 4 goals last week can’t be overhyped. Yet their resolve, when confronted with a psychological hit like being equalized on a gross defensive error just after the break, didn’t waver, and they earned enough of an advantage to keep all three points. 

Portland is still savoring last week’s victory and the hat trick by the player who seems to be shaping this era, not without irony: a Dutchman who wears the #14 jersey (Cruyff’s number), Vincent Janssen. It’s hard not to notice the strong connection Cifuentes feels with the Netherlands, and in football, mystique is a sort of 12th player. 

Today, we will see the oldest clash in football styles: “Possession/attack vs. defensive/counter” football. Whoever wins will hardly put the question to rest, but the evolution of this new Timbers team alone makes this match especially interesting for those who love the game, especially this part of the season, when these same conference games are becoming critical six-point games in the race for the playoffs.

Images of the Portland 5-4 win last week against Minnesota United at Providence Park (photos by Diego G Diaz)

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