Real Salt Lake: Team to face Fire's Blanco

Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been a nuisance for Real Salt Lake since he joined Major League Soccer three years ago. This weekend though, RSL can return the favor and end his MLS career.

The Mexican international has already announced he won't be returning to the Chicago Fire next season, instead choosing to sign with Mexican second division club Veracruz.

Interestingly enough, Real Salt Lake has only faced Blanco three times during his three-year MLS career, and not at all in 2009. But he was a pest in those three appearances.

In his first game against RSL at Rice-Eccles Stadium back in 2007 he scored a goal in the 43rd minute of a 2-0 win. In the season opener in 2008, he broke RSL's hearts with a 92nd minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw.

When Real Salt Lake faces Chicago in the Eastern Conference final this Saturday at Toyota Park, Blanco will again be the primary focus.

"I don't think you can get too far without talking about Blanco. He's the difference maker for them, somebody you always have to be alert of," said RSL coach Jason Kreis.

In last weekend's New England at Chicago playoff match, the Revolution defense lost track of Blanco for just a split second and he punished them with the series-clinching goal 10 minutes from the final whistle.

"I actually thought he was absolutely spectacular (against New England), very, very good. He appears to be extremely motivated and the team appears to be extremely motivated," said Kreis.

Blanco's motivation in MLS at times has been called into question, but overall Kreis believes the 36-year-old midfielder has been a good addition to the league.

"I think Blanco has been fantastic player for this league, both for what he brings on the field and off the field, he sells tickets everywhere he goes," said Kreis. "He's helped the league and he's helped Chicago. They've been a very good team with him on it."

Kreis didn't say he'd miss worrying about Blanco's set piece abilities.

Some of Real Salt Lake's players don't necessarily echo their coach's sentiment. Beckerman, who was an MLS All-Star teammate of Blanco's at Rio Tinto Stadium this summer, shrugs off any talk about the Mexican legend's importance on MLS.

"He brings out a lot of Mexican supporters that live in America and he brings them out in Chicago and away. I don't know if they're becoming fans of our league or if they're fans of Blanco because he plays for Mexico. We'll see, I guess," said Beckerman.

In Chicago, fans appear to have grown indifferent to Blanco's presence. When Blanco joined the Fire in the summer of 2007, attendance spiked to 20,482 in his five home games at Toyota Park.