Fire Update: Since you’ve been gone

CHICAGO, IL–While there may have been no World Cup matches in Chicago, there has been no shortage of movement from Chicago Fire FC. One assistant coach in Filipe Çelikkaya departed Chicago in June to become head coach of Hungarian League side ZTE FC, and one came in in the form of former Austin FC coach Nico Estevez. Oh, and Robert Lewandowski is now with the Fire.

Photo: Chicago Fire FC

Part two of the season starts on Thursday against Vancouver Whitecaps at Soldier Field (7:30pm CT, Apple TV) in what is anticipated to be Lewandowski’s debut with the Fire.

“I will probably find myself in the squad, but everything will depend on how I feel. I don’t know exactly how much time I still need for training to also get into the team. So we’ll do everything step by step so that it’s at the right moment,” said Lewandowski on Tuesday.

Lewandowski, who will wear #9, will eventually lime up alongside Hugo Cuypers, who will now wear #99, in a two striker system.

“Part of what we’ve been doing these last months is working through what it would look like in a two-striker system,” said Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter. “We did that on purpose to get a lot of video, a lot of footage. It’s not too common to play with two strikers nowadays, but we’ve been working hard on what that looks like around the penalty box, what the combinations look like, how to affect the back line with two strikers.”

Lewandowski’s arrival signals the Fire’s desire to be a contender again in Major League Soccer. Unlike when Xherdan Shaqiri came in 2022, The Fire are in a far better position to be contenders. They currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with the fifth stingiest defense in the league. However, a tough stretch of matches are coming up for the Fire. In addition to Thursday’s match against Western Conference leaders Vancouver, they travel to Inter Miami a week from Wednesday, and then at NYCFC on July 25th. These are the first three of what will be at least 18 league and three Leagues Cup matches coming up for the Fire. So the depth will be tested in these next few weeks.

Having Lewandowski will add depth to an attack that already includes the league’s current leading goal scorer. The Fire are also looking set to welcome back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Chris Brady, and Joel Waterman back to the fold from the World Cup. The second part of the season starts Thursday and the Fire will look to keep hot.