The Chicago Fire raised plenty of eyebrows when they announced the signing of Bastian Schweinsteiger two weeks ago. The move was considered by many to be little more than a publicity stunt.
The German midfielder certainly has an impressive resume, but he’s 32, hasn’t played consistent first-team soccer for several seasons and has a worrying recent injury history. In addition, the Fire brought in two players, Dax McCarty and Juninho, who play his position during the offseason.
In his first match, Schweinsteiger proved his doubters wrong, at least temporarily. Fire manager Veljko Paunovic switched to a 4-3-3 to accommodate his three midfielders, with Schweinsteiger to the left of McCarty.