Fire's Midfield "Strength in Depth" Tested This Week

For the bulk of the Chicago Fire’s season so far, Gregg Berhalter has relied on the much-talked-about all-American, all-homegrown midfield of Brian Gutiérrez, Sergio Oregel, and Mauricio Pineda. That exact trio has started together 12 times in 2025, even if absolutely nobody had it penciled in as the team’s likely midfield at the start of the season.

This week, however, there’s a different look in the middle of the park. The midfield was broken up when U-22 signing Djé D’Avilla made his first MLS start against Atlanta ahead of Pineda, and there are set to be more changes tonight against CF Montréal.

On Wednesday, an early yellow card to Oregel marked his sixth of the season and thus, he will serve a one-match suspension. The 19-year-old has played nearly every minute this season, and the only two MLS games he didn’t start were the 7-2 loss to Nashville and the 7-1 win over D.C.. There are several options to replace him in the middle, including Rominigue Kouamé, Djé D’Avilla, and Kellyn Acosta.

Kouamé back in the fold

One of the trickiest offseason signing to evaluate, Kouamé is halfway through a season-long loan from Cádiz and has battled injuries to get on the field this season. Despite scoring two goals off the bench, he’s yet to play a substantive role even amidst his TAM designation on the roster.

“I feel good and the rhythm is going to come now,” Kouamé said Wednesday, speaking exclusively with MIR97 Media after the draw in Atlanta. “I’m not the one who decides (about his future). All I know is that I give the best that I can on the field and what happens, happens.”

Appearing for just his second game since going down injured on June 7th, the Mali international is knocking on the door of starting minutes, and the absence of Oregel opens a slot for him. The expectation would be that Kouamé would be a #8 in the midfield, with either Pineda or D’Avilla behind him in the holding midfield role.

Nonetheless, a lot likely needs to change in the next six months if the Fire are to trigger Kouamé’s purchase option.

“Chicago is a beautiful city, it’s a nice place to live,” Kouamé said. “But you can’t compare home to abroad because the family’s not here and everything. But I’m happy with the club and I feel good.”

D’Avilla breaking through

The Fire hope that their long-term solution at the #6 can be D’Avilla, who is the fifth-most expensive player in team history and customer than $4 million. His first MLS start this week was solid and built upon an encouraging performance in the U.S. Open Cup against Minnesota United earlier this month.

“I talked to him before the game and I said he's earned this start,” Berhalter said Wednesday. “That's the best kind; when you don't give it to someone. He's been training well and coming in playing well. He played well tonight. Good force in the middle, won a bunch of tackles and happy for him.”

To keep the ball moving from the midweek outing, it seems like the most logical choice would be to keep D’Avilla in the lineup. However, that almost certainly would not be as a #8 replacing Oregel, and would have to keep Pineda rooted to the bench. Additionally, he doesn’t seem like the objvious choice for a game against Montréal where the Fire will have plenty of the ball – one where Pineda or even Kellyn Acosta seem like more effective options for the #6.

D’Avilla has come under plenty of criticism in his time in MLS so far. His price tag doesn’t help, but he’s been slow to adjust since moving from the Portguese second tier. If he can keep the momentum moving in his favor from Wednesday’s draw, however, he’ll be a big step closer to winning over the Fire supporters.

What about Kellyn?

The biggest shock of the Fire’s season has been Acosta, who’s been rooted to the bench all season and is now just 18 months on from his blockbuster free agency arrival. The midfielder did not feature in MLS between April 26th and May 31st, before finally winning some spot minutes in June.

Though still a respected member of the team, he’s just not playing anywhere close to enough soccer and is being discussed in trade chatter with the market set to open in the coming days.

“He's been frustrated, no question about it, but I think he should be,” Berhalter said earlier this summer when Acosta was not featuring. “He's a guy that has a ton of experience, played in the World Cup, been part of the national team program for a long time, one of the leaders on the team and to not get your number called is not easy.”

“What I would say is he's been handling it well, and really, all players in that situation can do is make a case each and every day on the training field. That's the only thing that's in their control. And that's all we'd ask Kellyn, that's all we'd ask any player, is just show it in training and when you get the opportunity in games, prove that you should be playing. So when his opportunity comes, and I'm sure it will one day, he needs to be ready.”

If this game isn’t the right one to get him back into the lineup, it’s unclear what would be. But it certainly feels like it’s now or never for the million-dollar man.