COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Major League Soccer team has not won back-to-back MLS Cup titles in over a decade. The Columbus Crew can accomplish that feat and more in 2024, and the team’s journey begins this week.

The reigning MLS Cup champion start its title defense Saturday when the team plays Atlanta United at 2 p.m. from Lower.com Field. The Black & Gold used a fast-paced attacking style all of last season under coach Wilfried Nancy to win its third MLS Cup.

Now in 2024, the Crew is chasing history but will face a variety of obstacles. The roster and tactics will face hurdles as the teams navigates three competitions and busy international periods.

Roster depth, tactics will be tested

The Crew won last season with an attacking brand of soccer that fans and analysts around the league dubbed the most entertaining style of play in MLS. It now is wearing a target with 28 other teams trying to beat that tactic.

Nancy’s fast style of play brings a high-risk, high-reward payoff with a lot of goal scoring chances created but opportunities for opponents to counter. This season could see multiple teams adapting to this style and attempting to play a similar possession-style brand against the Crew rather than sit back and hope for counterattacking chances.

Not many new names were added to the roster, but the ones that were have positional versatility. Midfielder Derrick Jones has experience in defense and winger Marino Hinestroza can play on either side and might slip in to an advanced wingback role, akin to Yaw Yeboah.

Positional versatility on the roster and depth is the important with a busy schedule and international duty disrupting flow. A period to watch where the team’s starting lineup will likely be undone is in June and July, when the Copa America tournament takes place.

Cucho Hernandez (Colombia) and Diego Rossi (Uruguay) will likely be gone, while American internationals Aidan Morris, Patrick Schulte, and Sean Zawadzki could be called up for Copa America or the Paris Olympics later this summer.

Crew chasing four trophies

Being MLS Cup champions comes with perks and ample opportunities to add more trophies to the cabinet. While defending its MLS title, the Black & Gold will be part of two other competitions.

Starting in March, the Crew will begin the CONCACAF Champions Cup in its search to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament lasts from March to June, with the Crew already in the Round of 16. They will play either St. Louis City or the Houston Dynamo with the opening leg on March 6 and the return leg at Lower.com Field on March 12.

After Lower.com Field hosts the MLS All-Star Game on July 24, the club will pause MLS play for the Leagues Cup tournament. The team also announced Friday that it will host Aston Villa on July 27 at 8 p.m. for a friendly. Villa currently sits in fourth place in the English Premier League.

In last year’s inaugural edition, the Crew beat Mexican giants Club America 4-1 before a Round of 32 penalty shootout loss to Minnesota United. As MLS champion, the Crew avoids group play and is already in the knockout round.

A fourth trophy is available when the Crew hosts a Mexican club in the Campeones Cup sometime in the fall. It won this trophy in 2021 over Cruz Azul. A fifth trophy might still be possible if the Black & Gold are included in the U.S. Open Cup, which MLS pulled every club from for its developmental teams.

2024 expectations

Since MLS’ first season, the MLS Cup has only been defended three times and many believe the Black & Gold can be the fourth team to do so. The Crew will have to balance out a busy start and need substitute players to step into starting roles to stay in contention.

If it can continue to impose its will during games, the Crew could certainly go far. Injuries were the biggest obstacle in 2021 when the Crew defended its 2020 title.

The Crew is the joint second favorite to win MLS Cup alongside Los Angeles FC on the betting lines. Way ahead of everyone as the MLS Cup favorites is Inter Miami, with high expectations for Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and company this season.

Alongside Miami and LAFC, FC Cincinnati, Philadelphia Union and the Seattle Sounders are a few other teams that are in the conversation as MLS Cup contenders. At minimum, the Crew will be looking to win one trophy but can be confident two or even three is attainable.