Minnesota Vs Austin: Rodriguez to miss season opener as Loons take new approach
James Rodriguez will not play in Minnesota United’s season opener in Austin tonight, and the club’s new direction under coach Cameron Knowles arrives without its headline signing present for minnesota vs austin. The Colombian signed a six-month contract with an option to extend but did not travel with the squad to Austin, Texas.
Minnesota Vs Austin: Rodriguez stays behind, training in Minnesota
Head coach Cameron Knowles confirmed that Rodriguez “stayed in Minnesota, where he has continued training, and we expect to integrate him into the group when we return on Monday, ” providing the clearest update on the midfielder’s status for the match in Austin on Saturday, Feb. 21. Knowles added, “It’s difficult to put a specific timeline on his debut because we haven’t seen him in a full week of training. ”
The club signed Rodriguez as a free agent to a six-month deal with an option to extend, and there are expectations he will earn minutes as the 2026 World Cup approaches; his debut could come later, with the club eyeing the Loons’ home opener on Saturday, Feb. 28 against Cincinnati as a possible opportunity for first action.
Knowles pushing a more aggressive front-foot approach
First-year coach Cameron Knowles has signaled a tactical shift for the Loons, who begin their 10th MLS season in Austin on Saturday, Feb. 21. Defender Michael Boxall said, “I think we just want to be a bit more on the front foot, ” describing a plan to regain possession closer to the opponent’s goal and press higher up the field.
Knowles has warned against deviating too far from last season’s formula that produced a club-record 58 points and a run to the Western Conference semifinals, but he and the roster turnover — nine players in and 10 out over the offseason — are clearly pursuing an evolution in approach. That turnover coincides with notable departures: goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is now with Inter Miami, and former coach Eric Ramsay is managing West Bromwich Albion, which went winless in his first seven matches.
Austin’s attack remade ahead of kickoff
Austin arrives with its own changes after finishing sixth in the Western Conference in 2025 and addressing a thin attack that produced 37 goals across 34 regular-season games. The club added five players and lost six, but the most visible shifts are up front: the departures of Osman Bukari, Diego Rubio and Jáder Obrian removed more than 4, 000 minutes of forward play from last year’s rotation.
To replace that output, Austin brought in wingers Facundo Torres and Jayden Nelson. Torres spent last season with Palmeiras, logging 1, 665 minutes and contributing six goals and three assists, moves intended to lift Austin’s goal production and create new threats for the Loons to contend with in their season opener in Austin, Texas.
Tonight’s match will be Minnesota United’s first competitive test under Knowles and will come without Rodriguez on the travel roster, forcing the coach to open the season without his high-profile signing while the team attempts to implement a more aggressive style.
Minnesota returns to training in Minnesota on Monday, when staff said they expect to integrate Rodriguez into the group, and the club has identified the Feb. 28 home match against Cincinnati as the likely window for his earliest possible debut.
