ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke at size with American defensive midfielder Leon Flach about his time in Philadelphia and his robust begin with reigning Polish champions Jagiellonia Bialystok
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
March 14, 2025
9:55 AM
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FOUR YEARS AGO, Leon Flach signed with the Philadelphia Union with the hopes that it might be an excellent place to play, develop, and advance his profession. It nearly appears counterintuitive to assume a participant would go away a European membership to develop in the USA, however that’s the route Flach selected with the final word finish purpose of finally returning dwelling to Europe.
Flach, 24, was born in Houston to German mother and father who have been there for work. When he was a younger baby, the household returned to Germany. It was there the place he developed as a participant and finally broke via with St. Pauli in Hamburg. He got here up via the membership’s academy and made his first staff debut as a youngster within the 2.Bundesliga.
It was additionally round this time when he regarded as if he could be a lock for the U.S. U-20 staff, however that by no means got here to fruition after the COVID pandemic compelled the cancellation of the U-20 World Cup. However then in 2021, Flach accomplished the switch from St. Pauli to the Philadelphia Union the place he noticed a chance with a head coach in Jim Curtin who believed in him.
Wanting again, Flach felt it was a good move and he acquired every thing he needed from the expertise which included 124 MLS video games, 145 whole first staff video games together with appearances within the playoffs, Leagues Cup, and CONCACAF Champions Cup.
However following robust seasons in 2023 and 2024 the place he needed to work via accidents within the ultimate 12 months of his contract and the staff didn’t make the playoffs, Flach felt it was time to lastly return dwelling to Europe for a lot of causes. He needs to start climbing the ladder there and the transfer additionally permits his household to look at him play regularly – with even his grandmother touring to look at him play subsequent month after being unable to journey to the USA.
“Every year has been challenging and also perfect in some way,” Flach recalled of his time in Philadelphia. “The first two years were incredible because I played every game. Personally last year, based on how I played, was my best year. It is weird to say because we missed the playoffs, but I was able to play a lot as the No. 6, and also the No. 8. I think I did some good stuff because I was enjoying everything a little bit more than before. In general, Philadelphia was a perfect start for me because I was able to play against some great players, see every stadium, every city. I came when I was 20 years old and played over 140 games. I think that’s the best outcome you could imagine. I was and I still am really happy about that – but at some point, it is also time for something new.”
He had a number of alternatives, however the one which stood out was with Jagiellonia Bialystok, the reigning champions of Poland’s prime tier Ekstraklassa.
Not like the prospect of returning to the two.Bundesliga, Jagiellonia Bialystok supplied the prospects of enjoying in title race, the prospect of enjoying within the present Convention League knockouts, and pushing for an opportunity to be within the Champions League subsequent 12 months.
“There was almost no time to start thinking about it , just straight up playing again – which is nice,” Flach stated. “The whole pressure situation is different because especially for us, every game counts. We play in almost every competition. We just lost in the cup, which is unfortunate, but Conference League, the league, and we have Super Cup in a few weeks. A lot of high-pressure games where you have to win. If you lose one or two games, you are almost out of the title race. That’s also something I wanted.”
Early indicators are promising. Since arriving, Flach has performed in all six of Jagiellonia Bialystok’s Ekstraklassa’s video games, one home cup sport, and all 4 of the membership’s Convention League video games. Jagiellonia Bialystok is in robust place within the league the place it sits third however is barely two factors behind leaders Lech Poznan, and superior previous Cercle Brugge this week into the quarterfinal of the Convention League.
“It’s always important that you feel wanted,” Flach stated of his determination to signal for Jagiellonia Bialystok. “It’s a different step, but a good step. I really liked that you play for titles here and you have also a different platform to show yourself. If you have like some good games in Conference League against also good teams, it offers you maybe more chances than playing in the second league in Germany.”
“There is the whole thing about the way they play soccer here,” he added. “I was surprised because a lot of teams, even the smaller teams, try to play out of the back. I think the style of play is really possession based actually…It’s very physical too, the refs usually letting a lot of stuff go. I thought if I really developed that part of my game, it could also help me make the next step.”
Flach’s early success with Jagiellonia Bialystok additionally provides additional proof that Philadelphia Union alumni are at the moment performing very effectively in Europe. Brenden Aaronson is a starter for a Leeds United staff that leads the Championship. Mark McKenzie anchors a Toulouse backline that’s prime 4 in objectives conceded in Ligue 1. Paxten Aaronson has had a breakout season with FC Utrecht, the place he’s on mortgage from Eintracht Frankfurt within the Eredivisie. Former Union homegrown central defender Auston Trusty begins for Celtic, the place he performed within the Champions League knockouts and can quickly win the Scottish Premiership title. Argentine ahead Julian Carranza moved from the Union to Feyenoord final 12 months and he scored the successful purpose over AC Milan final month in a Champions League knockout.
Flach is effectively conscious of how the opposite former Union gamers are doing and he’s nonetheless in contact with a number of of them – lately texting with Carranza and Paxten Aaronson to congratulate them on latest successes.
“I was texting a little bit with Paxten because he’s obviously close,” Flach stated. “With Julian, I was just wishing him good luck and also after he scored his goal, obviously I had to text him. I think the way we played in Philadelphia is really close to how you want to play in Europe. For the majority of the teams, it’s intense, transition-based. It’s physical, you want to have the ball back, which I think is really like it is in Europe. As soon as you understand what you have to do in defense, you can really showcase your talents on offense – which especially Julian and Paxton are doing because they are great, great players, especially on offense. The way we played, the way we got educated in Philadelphia, really helped all of us a lot.”
What additionally helped Flach out lots is that Philadelphia was additionally lively within the CONCACAF Champions Cup and within the Leagues Cup. That allowed Flach to expertise enjoying in hostile environments and in opposition to groups that play in distinction international locations and completely different leagues. However as he adjusts to life in Poland and within the Convention League, he appreciates the teachings that he discovered locations comparable to Central America.
“We just played in Warsaw against Legia Warsaw and that was the most intense atmospheres I ever experienced. That was actually crazy,” Flach defined. “But Mexico and El Salvador, all those atmospheres, I would say are hostile and to already know a little bit how to feel in those moments and also how to react helped me a lot. I think in competitions outside of the league are always the nicest things because you see different things. You play against different teams from different nations. Everything is different.”
However for Flach, a giant issue within the growth of those former Union gamers is Curtin who applied a method that interprets effectively to Europe. Curtin was fired by the Union after failing to make the playoffs in 2024 however has remained in contact with Flach and has supplied him encouragement after a powerful latest sport with Jagiellonia Bialystok.
“He texted me after my first game here,” Flach stated of Curtin. “He watched the game and said congrats on a great game. I really enjoy being in touch with Jim because obviously he’s probably the person who I’m the most thankful. He gave me the chance to showcase myself every week in, week out. Even when I didn’t have good game, he trusted me the next week. Four years with a coach really does something to you. It was a great relationship and I’m really interested in what he’s doing next.”
