Revolution head coach Bruce Arena: 'I don’t think anyone expects us to be in the MLS Cup'

The New England Revolution are looking to make it back to the MLS Cup for the first time since 2014, but they'll have to get through a tough Columbus Crew squad to do so. 

The Revolution are the lowest-seeded team in the conference semifinals but have played like the best team in Major League Soccer through three rounds of the playoffs. No one expected New England to make it this far, and head coach Bruce Arena acknowledged that this week ahead of the team's matchup against Columbus. 

“We’re just taking on the next game. That’s been our attitude. I don’t think anyone expects us to be in the MLS Cup, let alone win it,” Arena said in a conference call Friday, according to Medium's Julian Cardillo. “We’re not walking around thinking that we’ve made it now that we’ve won three playoff games. We’re simply trying to get our team better every week, trying to prepare them for the next game, and that’s the way we’re looking at this game on Sunday.”

New England beat the Montreal Impact in round one, dethroned the top-seeded Philadelphia Union in round two and managed to tear down Orlando City in round three. Its toughest challenge awaits at MAPFRE Stadium in round four, but the Revolution seem prepared to meet Columbus for the first time since 2019 and in their first matchup with Arena at the helm. 

The last time New England and Columbus met in the semifinals, in 2014, the Revolution went on to the MLS Cup, falling to the L.A. Galaxy in the penultimate round. Something seems different this time around, though, and New England controls its own fate. 

With Carles Gil, Gustavo Bou, Adam Buksa, Tajon Buchanan and Matt Turner playing at a very high level, the Revolution are poised to bring home their first title in franchise history.