Barco very happy being with Atlanta

If there was any question that Ezequiel Barco is as confident as perhaps he ever has been, one needed only to look at his sneakers during his press conference after scoring a goal and adding an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win against D.C. United at Mercedes-benz Stadium.

The white sneakers were covered in so much silver bling they should probably be insured. They weren’t shoes to be worn by just anyone. They are the shoes of someone who feels good.

And Barco is feeling good. So much so that, in addition to rocking those shoes, he said he isn’t worried about his future. Barco has said in the past that his dream is to play in Europe and that this season was important toward achieving that goal.

“I’m very happy in Atlanta,” he said. “With the team and the whole coaching staff, I’m very happy and in a good moment where I’m happy. It was tough for me to find hap- piness (before) in Atlanta, and today, as I said, my teammates and all the people at the club are helping me to be comfortable, calm and with confidence.”

Barco has been a differ- ent player since he returned from playing for Argentina in the Olympics. Well, perhaps not a different player, but one whose talents and determina- tion are being rewarded with goals and assists.

The midfielder has scored or assisted on 11 of Atlanta United’s past 17 goals. For the season, he has seven goals and six assists, both career-highs, with nine games remaining. Six of those goals and five of those assists have come since Barco returned from Japan and resumed playing with Atlanta United nine games ago. His goal Saturday came on a 25-yard, inch-perfect free kick from a tight angle into the short side of the goal, which is a low-percentage shot. His assist came on Josef Martinez’s goal.

Barco said his increased production is a result of a determination when he returned from the Olympics

to help Atlanta United get out of its “difficult moment.”

“I’ve been preparing myself to be well physically and men

tally and able tohelp the team in the best way I can,” he said.

Manager Gonzalo Pineda said he doesn’t know how Barco trained under his five previous managers at Atlanta United. He doesn’t know the conversations that he had with them.

What he does know is Barco is constantly trying to improve in training and in games. Before this season, he began taking more care of his body, which is a sign of what Pineda describes as Barco’s improved maturity.

“All of that combined should be Barco’s credit, and that is

why we are seeing this Barco,” Pineda said. “And again, I don’t

think we are seeing the best Barco yet, I think he can still

give us more opportunities, because he is super talented

and his ceiling super high, and I hope he can reach that ceiling by the end of this season.”

Barco said the only perfect player is Lionel Messi, so there are many things he can improve.

“We always have things to improve, and game-by-game those lessons come, but as I said today, the team did a great job, the 11 players and everyone on the bench, and that’s what will help us to fight,” he said.