Atlanta United Fires Head Coach Gonzalo Pineda

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta United has terminated head coach Gonzalo Pineda, 41, the team announced Monday in a news release.

Effective immediately, Assistant Coach Rob Valentino will take the helm as interim head coach of the Major League Soccer team.

The team announced it has also split with assistant coaches Diego de la Torre and Eugenio Villazon. Goalkeeper coach Liam Curran will remain in his current role, the team said.

“We are grateful to Gonzalo for his commitment and dedication to the club over the last four seasons. He has been an exemplary ambassador for the organization, and we want to thank him for his contributions to the club,” Atlanta United CEO and President Garth Lagerwey said in the release.

“We made this decision in an effort to move the team in a new direction. As we continue to evaluate all aspects of our sporting operation, Rob will have our full support to turn our season around in the second half.”

News of Pineda's firing comes a day after Atlanta United's 3-2 loss to Charlotte FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

"United managed only one victory — a surprising 3-1 road triumph over Lionel Messi and MLS-leading Inter Miami last week — in its final 11 games with Pineda on the sideline. The team is 1-6-4 over that span, dropping to 13th in the Eastern Conference and 24th overall in MLS," the Associated Press reported.

Atlanta United said it will begin globally searching for a new permanent head coach Tuesday. It is unknown when the position will officially be filled.

Lagerwey said at a news conference Monday that a recommendation for staffing changes was made Sunday night to Atlanta United owner Arthur M. Blank, and it was accepted.

"We're in no hurry with the coaching search," Lagerway said.

He noted some qualities to be considered during the coach search are the candidate's ability to lead, effectively communicate and enlist the best performances from the best players. He said a candidate's familiarity with the MLS will also be reviewed.

"I don't think there's one way to coach," Lagerway said.

Pineda has spent four seasons with Atlanta United since August 2021, during which he lead the team to a 34-34-29 record in league play, the release said.

Valentino joined Atlanta United in 2018 as assistant coach during Atlanta United 2's inaugural season before being promoted to assistant coach for Atlanta United's First Team ahead of the 2019 MLS Season.

He was previously interim head coach during the 2021 season, when he led the team to a 4-2-2 record, the release said.

Atlanta United is scheduled to play against the Houston Dynamo FC at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. See the full schedule here.