FC Cincinnati rang in the MLS postseason with a Thursday night gathering in front of hundreds of season ticket holders. The “Playoffs Launch Party” at TQL Stadium kicked off the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs march with a drone show and a meet-and-greet with FC Cincinnati players.
Cincinnati Soccer Talk had the opportunity to chat with Nick Hagglund, Tom Barlow, and Roman Celentano before the show.
Cleared from his concussion against Philadelphia two weeks ago, Hagglund was upbeat about the postseason. “I think, you know, the last month has been a good month for us. Obviously, the Nashville loss at the end of it is unfortunate, but I think the first half, we did a lot of things good, and I think the two goals that they scored, you know, one’s a kind of a breakdown, and then the second one, we’re kind of like pushing for that, that tying goal.
“In that regard, I don’t really feel that bad about it, but I think, you know, the first half marked with everything else we did with DC, Philly, and Miami. I think that was a good run of form, and I think the guys are feeling good about continuing that effort in the playoffs.”
Hagglund’s performance down the stretch was key to making the MLS Cup Playoffs, but his concussion-protocol absence was felt against Nashville. According to the seventh-year center back, he should be ready for the Orlando match.
Hagglund admitted he wasn’t sure he counted when it came to his nomination as 2026 MLS Comeback Player of the Year. “I didn’t even know I was able to be up for it this year. I guess the last award was for the ankle and this one’s for the ribs. It’s kind of funny that I just keep getting hurt, but ultimately, I think, for me, it’s just like a mark of my resilience and ability to continue to fight, and I think one of my best attributes is just like when the going gets tough to just continue to put my head down and grind my way through things.”
Celentano still feels confident in the team’s fifth-straight postseason appearance. “I feel like, towards the end of the year, we started gaining some form, got into a good rhythm, and kind of locked things down defensively, but we were in a good way. But yeah, on the last day, some results didn’t go away and we didn’t help ourselves, so we didn’t really put ourselves in a position to succeed in that point, but I don’t know. It’s the playoffs now. We’re at the dance. Anything can happen.”
“(Orlando) have a lot of similarities to us,” Celentano pointed out. “I think they have a lot of attacking star power. It’s just, us and them have been, you know, conceding a lot of chances and letting a lot of goals, so it could be a thrilling game or it could not–who knows what it’s going to be like. You actually get down there because on paper, it’s like, oh, it should be a lot of goals in this kind of stuff, but now you just look at the team they have, the way they like to play and the players that they have–it’s going to be a really good matchup for us.”
Barlow’s production over the entire season gave FCC the lift for the playoffs. His 17 goal contributions over all competitions (13 goals and four assists) are a career high that cannot be denied in his first season for the Orange & Blue. His 34 appearances over the entire MLS season, never missing a game, are also a proud accomplishment.
“I think anytime you can punch your ticket to the playoffs, it’s a good sign,” Barlow reflected. “It was a little blip against Nashville, but we’re still confident and we’re feeling good about Orlando. I think anytime you go to their place, it’s always a tough match. They’ve got a lot of good players, good team. So yeah, it should be interesting. It would be a fight.
Orlando’s charge into the postseason mirrored Cincinnati. While the team has been trying to find their defensive posture after sacking their head coach, the arrival of Antoine Griezmann has solidified their offense.
Barlow also understands the star quality in Orlando with Griezmann’s arrival. “I think, last time we faced (Griezmann), I don’t think he did too much, but you’ve seen recently his form and stuff too. And obviously he’s just an amazing player. He’s somebody to look out for, but like I said, we’re ready.”
“(Antoine) Griezmann’s, obviously, a really good player and he’s been incredible for them,” Celentano agreed, “but they have a lot of other ballers as well, so we can’t really focus on one guy. We got to focus on the team in general.”
“Anything can happen, you know?” Hagglund noted. “I feel like if we continue with the same effort defensively, I think when it comes to playoffs, it’s thin margins, both sides of the ball. And so, if we can stay together, defensively, I think we’re in a great spot and then, when you have Evander and you have Kevin (Denkey), you have opportunities to put the ball away, and I think you complement both of those together. I think we can do something great.”
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