The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Purata says his experience can help five stripes defense
Mexican league veteran is eligible for MLS play July 7.
Juan Jose Purata believes his experience with Tigres and his high personal standards can help Atlanta United improve its defense and make the MLS playoffs.
Purata was acquired on loan from the LIGA MX powerhouse June 21.
“I was a captain of each age group for teams that I was on,” he said. “And coming here, as you say, we have a young team, but I think what I can transmit to the guys is that effort, that com- mitment, that motivation to always give your best. Because I think that’s what I can bring with my experi- ence and just always having high standards.”
Atlanta United’s defense has been decimated by inju- ries. In its previous game at Toronto, it started 20-yearold goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, 23-year-old Aiden Mcfadden, 25-year-old Alan Franco, 21-year-old George Campbell and 17-year-old Caleb Wiley.
Purata is only 24, but he has made 34 appearances with Tigres since making the first team in 2017. He is eligible to play for Atlanta United when the transfer window opens July 7.
“I’m coming from a big important club in Mexico, Tigres, where the obligation is to win always,” he said. “So you can’t relax even for one day. You don’t have that luxury. The demand is always to win. So that’s the club that I’m coming from, where the expectations are always very high.
“So I’m used to being a part of that environment. I’m used to winning. So I think that’s what I can try and bring to this team is that experience coming from a place where, you know, we were expected to win all the time. And, you know, I think here the quality level is very high. So, you know, we have no excuses here, and I’m going to try and add that to the team.”
Purata said he didn’t hesitate to join Atlanta United when the opportunity arose because he said the team wanted him.
“I know that the quality level here is good,” he said of MLS. “In the past few days, big important players have signed in the league. So I know it’s going to be a chal- lenge, but I think that was also part of the reason to come here was to get out of my comfort zone and to face that challenge.”
Since the sale of Leandro Gonzalez Pirez after the 2019 season, it can be argued that Atlanta United hasn’t had a vocal, emotional leader on its back line. Purata said he can be that player. Manager Gonzalo Pineda said he hopes that Purata can do that, but he cautioned that he hasn’t yet seen him in a game.
“I assume because all the reports that we were asking of teammates or former coaches or people that know Purata, they say he’s that type of guy,” Pineda said. “So we will think he can do it. So far, so good in the training sessions. He talks, he likes to communicate with the players. The language barrier is still there, but I think he’s going to be a good addition.”