HANOVER, N.J. – Sacha Kljestan has become one of the most influential central midfielders in MLS since his return to the league three years ago, and has cobbled together another strong season after being a finalist for MLS MVP in 2016.
According to his teammates and head coach, he still doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
With two assists last weekend in the New York Red Bulls’ comprehensive 3-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, Kljestan now has 51 assists since returning to MLS in 2015. He is now one off from the record for most assists during a three-year span in league history, a mark currently held by mercurial maestro Carlos Valderrama, a superstar of the league’s early days.
He’ll look to pass that milestone on Sunday, when the Red Bulls host high-octane Atlanta United in an Eastern Conference clash rich with postseason implications (5 pm ET | FS1, FOX Deportes in US, MLS LIVE in Canada). With two games left in the season, Kljestan boasts a league-leading 17 assists and two goals in league play for the Red Bulls.
“I’m a pass-first kind of guy, I think that reflects more in the statistics. I think I should be more selfish at times and shoot more often,” Kljestan told MLSsoccer.com following New York’s training session on Friday. “But I’m a pass-first kind of guy and want my teammates to be successful in the final third.”
Three years ago when he was appointed head coach of the Red Bulls, Jesse Marsch immediately set about acquiring Kljestan, then with Belgium juggernauts Anderlecht. RBNY orchestrated a trade to move up the league’s allocation order so as to sign Kljestan, also nabbing influential midfielder Felipe in the deal.
Marsch remembered Kljestan as his younger teammate at Chivas USA from 2006-09, and later worked with him as an assistant coach with the US national team. Now he’s coaching a player who has become the face of the franchise and the most vital cog in the squad’s build-up play.
“When you think of a No. 10 you think of more dynamic players, more athletic. But he’s a very clever and smart passer, and a very clever and smart soccer player,” Marsch said of Kljestan.
“His ability to understand how to just, with ease, set up plays in the midfield is very good. And then obviously around goal, he has a very keen eye on how to set up final plays. He’s been incredibly important here for three years, a big part of our attacking prowess.”
Currently the assist leader among all active MLS players with 84, Kljestan has come on strong after a slow start to the year. He’s registered an assist in eight of New York’s past 14 league matches, with two goals and 11 assists during that stretch.
“He’s smooth with the ball – his movements are smooth,” teammate Daniel Royer said. “Technically, he’s a really good player, a good passer … and a leader on the field.”
Last year, the form that took Kljestan into the MLS All-Star Game and the league’s Best XI also carried him back into the national team picture, earning a handful of callups and caps. What makes Kljestan’s gaudy statistics even more impressive is that he isn’t a No. 10 in the classic mold.
In the Red Bulls’ high-press and counter-press tactics, Kljestan has defensive responsibilities that carry him deep into the midfield. He calls himself “more of a No. 8” than a true playmaker.
“Some attacking mids are fortunate to play on teams that have eight guys behind the ball that will do more of the work; we have this idea that we need all 10 to do the work and we start our attacks by defending high up the field,” Kljestan said.
“So if I was taking plays off and letting my teammates down, I don’t think I could get away with it here. Yeah, I do what I’ve got to do to succeed with this team, that’s for sure.”
