Football Season Guide

Colorado got off to a spectacular start of the 2024 campaign, but a drop in form down the stretch saw them lose seven of their last eight games including back-to-back thrashings (5-0, 4-1) at the hands of LA Galaxy in the first round of the playoffs following a seventh-spot finish in the West. No major changes have been made during the offseason. Starting defender Lalas Abubakar was replaced by a solid Chidozie Awaziem and a few rotation players have arrived to beef up the roster. In fact, next season’s starting XI is not expected to have more than one new face. Chris Armas put together a solid side that may have succumbed to pressure in the closing stages of 2024, but they played some entertaining football for most of the season. Colorado have kept their spine intact and will look to build on the foundation laid by Armas last season. To do so, they will lie on a superb Djordje Mihailovic, who finished last season with 11 goals, 10 assists and 3.0 key passes produced (fifth-best in the league). With Mihailovic on the pitch, Colorado are legit playoff contenders. Yet, they will need to work on their defensive frailties that proved costly last season. Only one of the 18 playoff teams conceded more goals than Colorado (60) in 2024, but the arrivals of Awaziem and Ian Murphy from a solid Cincinnati defence could help them build defensive cohesion.