PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese held a news conference Thursday afternoon, ahead of the 2021 MLS Cup final on Dec. 11. The Timbers will take on New York City FC at Providence Park Saturday afternoon.
Savarese was joined by Timbers captain Diego Chara and midfielder Sebastián Blanco during Thursday's news conference. The coach and players spoke about their excitement to play Saturday's championship match at home in front of the fans in Portland.
"We've been waiting for this. This is a dream come true," Savarese said. "If you ask any coach, player, general manager, anyone who is part of a club in the United States, they want to play in an MLS Cup and they want to do it at home. For us to have the chance to host this match, knowing the passion of our fans, the environment that Portland brings, it is unique."
"Also, because we love this game, we want to see the game grow in the United States. I believe being here in this stadium, in this city, will show very well for everyone that is going to watch this match."
The Timbers confirmed Thursday that Blanco will play in Saturday's match after he missed Portland's 2-0 semifinal victory against Real Salt Lake with a hamstring injury. Blanco said he's thrilled to play in front of Portland's fans in the MLS Cup final.
"We usually see this stadium full because we have some of the best fans in MLS, for sure. This stadium will be amazing, like always," he said.
When asked if the Timbers will win Saturday, Savarese said that's his belief.
"I believe so, 100%," he said. "I believe so, going into the game. I believe in the players and I believe that we'll be very competitive and we're going to fight hard, especially because this is our home. We're well prepared. We've done a lot of work. ... I feel very lucky to have this group of players, because it feels like a family, more than a team."
Savarese also was asked about being the only Latino coach to take his team to two MLS finals.
"Very proud, very proud to represent Latinos in the best way," he said. "Try to open a road for the future, we know there are a lot of good coaches who are Latino, I hope this will open more opportunities for others in the future. I'm proud of what we're doing as a group."
Victory log arrival
Earlier on Thursday, mascot Timber Joey and Timber Jim were at Providence Park for the arrival of the victory log. As the tradition goes, Timber Joey will use a chainsaw to cut a slab off the victory log for every goal a Timbers player scores during Saturday's game. The slabs are then given to the players who scored goals.
MLS cup trophy unveiling
Timber Joey unveiled a 15-foot, 1,500 pound replica of the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy at Pioneer Courthouse Square Thursday afternoon.
Chainsaw artists Patrick and Michael Bryson were also at the square to carve the MLS Cup trophy out of a 4-foot log.
KGW's Katherine Cook was live at Pioneer Courthouse Square to get a glimpse of the excitement.
A look at the MLS Cup trophy
There have been three different versions of the MLS Cup trophy and the first one debuted in 1996. In 2015, Portland's MLS Cup trophy was the first to feature the updated logo on the front featuring the league's newest crest.
The iconic jeweler, Tiffany & Co., created the trophy which weighs 21 pounds. It was mostly forged with sterling silver and is valued at $120,000. The design of the trophy includes the iconic fluid handles and 11 facets on the front and back, which symbolize the 22 players that participate on the field in a match.
The trophy is named after Philip F. Anschutz, who was a co-founder of Major League Soccer and owned multiple teams including LA Galaxy and D.C. United.
A look at the MLS Cup ball
KGW's Orlando Sanchez tweeted a photo of the new ball that will be used in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
A boost for the local economy
The big game is ready bringing fans and their dollars to Portland from around the country. That includes Tomasz Blaszyk who flew in from New York, Thursday morning.
“Tonight, we're planning on going to a few local bars, probably some more tomorrow, hang out with some Portland fans and hopefully have a great time,” said Blaszyk. “Obviously see the game on Saturday.”
Marcus Hibdon with Travel Portland predicted this weekend could be downtown Portland's biggest since the pandemic hit.
“We're excited for a Timbers win of course, but also it's great to see people coming back to town,” said Hibdon. “We know that this is going to bring thousands of people to Portland to watch the match, eat at our restaurants, shop retailers, sleep in our wonderful hotels.”