Fagundez loves new Revolution vibe under Friedel

Diego Fagundez has played 191 matches for the Revolution across eight professional seasons. Only four of those matches have taken place under new manager Brad Friedel. And in those four matches, Fagundez has fallen in love with the new Revolution vibe.

“I think Coach [Friedel] has definitely brought this team together, the way he wants us to play, the way the energy, everything about the locker room has definitely changed. I think it is better for us,” Fagundez said during his midweek media availability.

This energy dissipated after Friedel’s first match on the Revolution sideline, a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union that saw two Revs starters sent off. Friedel said the match, “did not go the way we wanted it to” and “there were quite a few negatives” to take away from the performance.

But the Revs have not lost since. A last-gasp win over the Colorado Rapids, followed by a draw against New York City FC and a win over the Houston Dynamo, has propelled Friedel’s side to a 2-1-1 start, the Revolution’s best since 2009.

Winning has made all the difference, according to Fagundez.

“At the end of the day, when we’re winning games, everybody is happy,” the midfielder said. “So, we just have to keep this vibe going and keep it rolling.”

And the best way to maintain this energy, if you ask Friedel, is to keep winning.

“We have two home games in front of us and we’ll be looking to try to get maximum points. If we get that, then the confidence can still build,” he said. “We know that you have to earn the right to win every game and we’re going to have to put in monumental efforts again against both Montreal and Dallas.”