MLS All Stars Praise Carles Gil and Djordje Petrovic
Tyler Miller on Djordje Petrovic: “He’s one of the top up-and-coming goalkeepers and he’s playing at a fantastic level. I think he has a really, really bright future.”
One positive aspect of the MLS All-Star Game is that it brings together players from around the league.
Christian Benteke has used the opportunity to reunite with Carles Gil as the two played together at Aston Villa in 2015. The D.C. United striker stated that Gil “didn’t get the chance he deserved” back then, noting that he’s always been an impressive talent.
“I think he’s a very good player,” Benteke said. “I was with him when he was young when we were at Villa and we played together. And now for the last couple of years, he’s been one of the best players in the league.”
D.C. United’s Tyler Miller has spent the last couple of days working with fellow goalkeepers Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution) and Roman Bürki (St. Louis CITY SC). The netminders learned from each other by talking about the position and their experiences.
Last Saturday, Miller stood opposite of Petrovic when the Revs beat D.C. United 4-0. The 30-year-old offered praise for the 23-year-old.
“He’s one of the top up-and-coming goalkeepers and he’s playing at a fantastic level. I think he has a really, really bright future,” Miller said.
One of the things that makes Petrovic so impressive is that he seamlessly made the transition from native Serbia to Major League Soccer.
Playing soccer in the United States can be difficult for a multitude of reasons, including travel. Petrovic hasn’t had many issues and was even a finalist for Newcomer of the Year and Goalkeeper of Year after his first half season.
He’s done fantastic,” Miller said. “I think that they have a really good system up in New England. To go into any position, any league, and do well is always going to be difficult. There are a lot of players who have gone to new leagues and it’s taken six months to accumulate but I think Djordje has done a fantastic job and it’s fun to watch.”
The MLS All Stars will spend two days training together before taking the field against Arsenal on Wednesday. After that, the temporary teammates will once again become on-field opponents.
Benteke summarized the MLS All-Star Game well, saying, “It’s pretty cool because I came here to face the best players and with the best players so it’s a good experience.”