Availability report and match preview: Another rivalry in store for 5-Stripes at Charlotte

Atlanta United knows Charlotte FC very well. Years of intense rivalry matches will do that.

But the 5-Stripes got a bonus match against their adversaries back on April 28. A 2-0 win over The Crown in the U.S. Open Cup will mean these two teams know even more about each other than we would've expected coming into Wednesday night's matchup.

But it sure doesn't mean things will unfold the same way when the two teams kick off at 8 p.m ET Wednesday night. Just ask Tristan Muyumba.

"It's going to be a different game," the Frenchman said after training Tuesday. "It was good winning over there, and to get the result for the mind and for the confidence, but it's going to be different game."

Muyumba is right. Charlotte's lineup looked a lot different that evening, not to mention the venue of Mecklenburg Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina provided a much different atmosphere than Bank of America Stadium. 

The 5-Stripes will take with them the hurt of Friday rivalry night's loss at Nashville and look to turn it into a redemptory win. 

"The team’s attitude is not going to change," head coach Tata Martino said in Spanish Tuesday. "Even though we've been losing games lately, I think what won't change is the attitude. For the rest of the season, we want to have that mentality and be competing all the way through the season."

Shifting availability ahead of another road trip

The 5-Stripes will be without Pedro Amador, who is dealing with an Achilles injury, Wednesday night. Jay Fortune's hamstring injury from Friday night will sideline him, and the club said the Homegrown midfielder is expected to miss three-to-four weeks. Matt Edwards is day-to-day with a hamstring knock according to Martino, and Sergio Santos remains in rehab for his calf injury. 

Paulo Díaz, one of two new signings for the 5-Stripes, is still working out visa logistics and will be unavailable for the Charlotte match.

The 5-Stripes will get a couple of additional options for Wednesday night, particularly in central defense. Stian Gregersen, who was questionable on last Thursday's availability report, is off the list today. The other new signing, Júnior Alonso, is also officially ready to go, visa sorted and all. They'll both have the possibility of featuring, which may push Tomás Jacob back to his usual spot at right back.

Alonso, a Paraguayan international who just represented the country at the World Cup, won't need too much time to get himself fit. Martino also thinks that, tactically, he and Díaz will have an easier time adjusting to his team's system.

"When we as coaches suggest signings, we're looking at where they've been playing before and the style that they've been playing as well," Martino said. "In the case of these two center backs, Paulo was playing at River in a similar style, and Júnior at Atlético Mineiro under two different coaches, [Gabriel] Milito and [Eduardo] Domínguez, was playing in a similar style. When you can bring in players who are used to it and with that familiarity, it helps the adaptation process go faster."

Muyumba spoke to Alonso's early integration into the side and an unlikely bonding point for the two.

"I think he will bring a lot of leadership, a lot of calmness into the defense," Muyumba said. "We're still learning about him, but he's a good guy. He spoke he speak a little bit of French because he played a couple years in France. We are very glad and happy having him with us."

One other perhaps unexpected player at Martino's disposal is Cooper Sanchez. No, the 18-year-old young star isn't dealing with any ailment, but he was called into the U.S. U-19 Men's National Team squad for the Concacaf U-20 Championship. 

With Fortune's injury, however, Martino said he and the club reached out to U.S. Soccer and reached an agreement. Sanchez was supposed to depart for Mexico after the Nashville match but will instead stay with the 5-Stripes for the remainder of the week.

Back-to-back rivalry matches may not look so different tactically

Martino said just as much during media availability Tuesday morning. Of course, each team presents a different skillset of players and unique setups, but El Profe remarked at how preparing for Nashville and Charlotte felt a bit like a repeat test.

"There's a lot of similarities," Martino said. "I think Charlotte also has four very good attacking players just as Nashville does. Tactically I don't see a lot of differences. Charlotte's also going to play with the back four and with two central midfielders."

Possession has always been the prize for Martino and his side. The 5-Stripes come into the match ninth in MLS with 52.6% possession on average. They had just over 50% against Nashville, a number they'll look to best Wednesday night.

Keeping the ball may be most of the match, but the critical moments will be those in transition, just like in Nashville. Charlotte FC are expected to debut former European talent Allan Saint-Maximan, a tricky winger with potential as an option on the counterattack. Keeping him and other attackers under wraps will be essential.

"I think if we're able to hold the control of the game, then it's going to be important for us, just like it was against Nashville, to be aware in those transition moments because of the attacking threats that that Charlotte has," Martino said.