Atlanta United 2024 player review: Bartosz Slisz

Atlanta United’s midfield in 2024 was an improvement from just about any version the team has possessed since pre-2020. The acquisition of Polish international Bartosz Slisz was massive, because it helped balance out a group of guys with a talent who could play as a defensive-oriented number 6, a stout 8, or even an progressive 10 when needed. Slisz was described by Garth Lagerwey as being one of those players he’d always dreamed of signing – a guy who has a taste of lifting trophies, who is in the prime of their career, and who could be a long-term piece in Atlanta. A constant contributor who arrived to Atlanta relatively late in the preseason (and fresh from playing with Legia Warszawa), Slisz settled in quickly as an above-average midfielder who could truly hit another gear in 2025 simply by having this offseason to rest and recharge.

Stats

Matches Played/Started: 33/32

Minutes: 2853

Goals: 2

Assists: 0

What went right?

Bartosz Slisz patched a massive defensive hole that had existed in Atlanta United for the past couple of seasons. In prior years, Atlanta’s knack for allowing unopposed late runners to the top of the box was nothing short of infuriating, but Slisz’s positioning certainly helped remedy that in 2024. He was also an integral part in helping the team play through pressure with more confidence. He seemed generally comfortable on the ball through traffic, and was unafraid to progress the ball with dangerous passes – including an incisive long ball ability that frankly went underused. He ranked in the top 30% of central midfielders in MLS in a ton of defensive categories, and also performed admirably in stats related to advancing the ball into the final third. A true Swiss (Polish) Army Knife, Slisz tended to work very well with all of the players around him and did well to help dictate the tempo of matches.

Also, it was pure poetry to watch his rising header in the playoffs against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi to seal the win and eliminate the darlings of MLS.

What to improve on?

The young midfielder wasn’t without some mistakes in 2024. While he was vastly superior to prior versions of Atlanta’s central corp, he was responsible for a couple of costly giveaways throughout the season. Such is the life of a midfielder, but polishing up his ball handling will help elevate his game to the next level. If utilized as an 8 primarily in 2025, I’d also love to see him rip a few more shots on occasion (see at Nashville in Geodis Park). His accuracy is relatively underrated, and he can be an attacking threat when the moment is presented. Mainly, though, I would just like to see him continue fine-tuning his abilities as a momentum-controlling, box-to-box midfielder.

I didn’t dock any “points” for his penalty woes simply because PK’s are a crapshoot, and he got incredibly unlucky with two important ones this season. And when I say he was absolutely beside himself after the miss in Leagues Cup, many players would struggle to recover from how emotionally taxing that was. Slisz held his head high, though, and had a solid campaign in 2024.

What role will he play in 2025?

Bartek will continue to be relied upon heavily by whoever may be coaching Atlanta United come 2025. Dax McCarty had high praise for the entire Atlanta midfield before his retirement, with a large chunk of the goodwill aimed at Slisz. While he’ll undoubtedly be that jack-of-all-trades midfielder, don’t be surprised if the new coach helps focus his strengths in one or two areas to help further solidify the players around him.

Overall Grade: A solid and respectable B