BEAVERTON, Ore. – The Portland Timbers will finish off their current stretch of three games in eight days with a match against their bitter rivals the Seattle Sounders on Sunday. But with a midweek match yet to play against the Montreal Impact (Wednesday, 10:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), the Timbers are treating the upcoming Cascadia derby like any other match.
Speaking to the press after practice on Tuesday, Timbers head coach Caleb Porter kept his focus on Montreal. When asked about how the Sounders factor into the team's preparations for the week, Porter told the press, "just that there is a game [on Sunday] and we want to win our next three."
"We are going to try to win this game and then we are going to try to win the next game," he continued. "That is the mindset and we have a group of guys that can do it."
That said, with injuries to Diego Valeri, Adam Kwarasey and Darren Mattocks, as well as Diego Chara's suspension due to yellow-card accumulation, the Timbers will be forced to make some changes from their preferred XI this week.
"You want to look at rotation [in your lineup]," said Porter. "It hurts us a little bit, having guys injured, because those rotations become deeper and we are in a situation where we need to win games."
Still, there will be plenty of Timbers who will play all three games this week, according to Porter. Fatigue, he said, should not be a factor.
"For me a lot of it is mindset," said Porter. "If you are going to think that you will be tired, then you will be tired. Our guys will not be tired no matter who we go with. Some guys will play all three games and they will be fine."
Center back Nat Borchers is one player who will likely remain in the Timbers lineup despite this week's heavy schedule.
"Whenever you get to come home for a game, regardless of the rest and the result, you are always up for it," said Borchers after training, "especially with our home crowd and the energy that they give us. We are definitely up for this one."
