Lions add Carlos on 1-year loan
Orlando City has signed defender Antônio Carlos Cunha Capocasali Júnior ahead of the 2020 MLS season.
The Lions acquired Carlos on a oneyear loan with an option to buy at the end of the 2020 season. He remains eligible for Target Allocation Money, and the club will wait until the roster compliance period to determine whether he will be moved into a designated player slot.
“We are thrilled to welcome Antônio Carlos to Orlando City,” Orlando City executive vice president of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi said in a news release. “He is an experienced center back, having played many seasons in Brazil’s topflight, that brings both speed and a great ability in the air to our back line.
We are very happy to make this move ahead of the new year and are excited to see all that Antônio Carlos will accomplish in 2020.”
The defender could serve as an answer to one of the biggest questions for the Lions this offseason: Who will fill the space of Lamine Sané? Sané served alongside Robin Jansson as the second half of a center back duo that set records for the Orlando City back line on the way to a club-low 52 goals allowed in 2019.
Despite Sané’s impact, his $900,000 contract weighed on the club’s salary cap, and the Lions declined his option and did not renegotiate his contract for the 2020 season.
Carlos has spent the last three years in the Brazilian Série A league, most recently representing Palmeiras in 56 matches since his loan to the club in July 2017. He had a goal and an assist for the team over 22 appearances in 2018, leading Palmerias to a league title.
He played in 12 matches for the Palmeiras in 2019.
Before joining Palmeiras, Carlos served on loan for Avaí and Flamengo, and for Série B club Ponte Preta, netting two goals over 43 appearances for the three programs. He began his career with Corinthians in 2012, appearing in three matches before going on loan to Oeste in Série B in 2013 and Avaí in 2014.
Inter Miami hires coach: David Beckham’s new MLS team finally has its first coach, with Inter Miami hiring Diego Alonso. The Uruguayan, who has coached two different teams to CONCACAF Champions League titles, officially took over Monday as the inaugural manager of Beckham’s club. He was an attacker as a player and prefers the same scoring-minded style as a coach.
“We knew we would find a coach that matches our aspirations of trying to be successful right out of the gate,” Inter Miami sporting director Paul McDonough said. “What we really like about him is he’s coached at big clubs and he’s won at big tournaments. He’s won at all different levels throughout South America.”
Alonso said after he went through his first interview with Inter Miami officials, he knew the job was right for him.
“It’s an ambitious and a winning project,” Alonso told the Associated Press. “That’s what I’m all about.”
Alonso won’t have long to get settled. Inter Miami — with Beckham a leading part of the ownership and front office — will gather for its first practices in January, has preseason matches in February and makes its MLS debut on March 1 at Los Angeles FC. The home opener at the team’s newly constructed home in Fort Lauderdale is March 14 against the LA Galaxy.
“I’m very excited,” Alonso said. “I know this league very well. I know the challenge.”
Alonso was most recently coach of the Mexican club Monterrey, which had success against MLS sides during its run to the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League title. It beat Atlanta United by a 3-1 two-game aggregate in the quarterfinals, then rolled past Sporting Kansas City by a 10-2 aggregate in the semifinals.
He’s the only coach to win that CONCACAF tournament with two different clubs.
The 44-year-old Alonso spent part of the last two years with Monterrey before being fired in September. Before that, he was with the Mexican club Pachura — also taking it to a CONCACAF Champions League crown, and again having success against MLS clubs.