The Story
Atlético Ottawa — 3rd Place, 43 points
Record (W-D-L): 13-11-4
Goals For/Against: 42/45
Top Scorer: Ballou Tabla (11)
Assists Leader: Kamron Habibullah, Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, Gabriel Antinoro, Manuel Aparicio (2)
The defending CPL champions have changed a fair amount in the space of a year. Gone are CPL Player of the Year Sam Salter, 2025 Playoff MVP David Rodríguez, captain Nate Ingham and head coach Diego Mejía. It took them a while to find their rhythm again.
But since Gustavo Leal took the reins in mid-July, there has been clear improvement. Playing a more direct style than they did last season, ignited by club legend Ballou Tabla and the game-changing midseason signing of Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, Atleti looked far more like the team that won the CPL Final last year. They locked in third place early, and have been impatiently waiting for the playoffs to begin.
As the weather turns cold again, Atlético Ottawa can start the dream again of those snowy scenes last year when they lifted the North Star Cup. With seven of the 11 starters that day still with the team, they have a squad full of players who know what it takes to win it all.
The Stats
20 points gained from losing positions
The Canadian Premier League's comeback kings set a single-season record for points gained from losing positions with a stunning 20 this season. They scored a league-leading nine goals in second-half stoppage time as well. When Atleti plays, the game isn't over until the final whistle.
57.57 per cent possession
Atlético Ottawa had the ball more than any other team in the league this season. Transitioning midseason between Diego Mejía's particular possession-heavy style and Gustavo Leal's more direct approach, Atleti remains a team that likes to control the ball.
4,264 U-21 Minutes
For a second year running, Atlético Ottawa played young players more than any other CPL club, with a league-leading 4,264 minutes played by domestic U-21 players. Sergei Kozlovskiy (18), Joaquim Coulanges (19) and Tim Arnaud (19) all played significant minutes this season. Ottawa boast the joint youngest team in the CPL in terms of average age.
The Stars
Ballou Tabla, Forward
Following the departure of multiple key attackers, Tabla took on responsibility of being the main man in attack for Atlético Ottawa this season. He did so brilliantly, scoring a team-leading 11 goals and adding two assists.
Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, Forward
Perhaps the most impactful midseason signing in CPL history, Ottawa native Fleuriau Chateau came home to the nation's capital and instantly changed the trajectory of their season. With seven goals and three assists, many of them late winners or equalizers, his relentless and energetic attacking style quickly became a gamechanger for Atleti's attack.
Manny Aparicio, Midfielder
Inheriting the captain's armband this season in the capital, Aparicio remains the true engine of this team both on and off the pitch. A two-time CPL champion, Aparicio has more big-game experience than anyone on this team, and will be leaned on as a leader by this young group.
The Soundbites
“I think we still kind of have that little bit of a target on our back... Now with a lot of staff changes, a lot of player changes, I feel like teams have tried to beat us and are gunning for us. It's been ups and downs this year, but I think now towards the end we're finding our stride and feeling like ourselves again. It's ours to defend. We're going into playoffs knowing that we have everything to play for and that we're capable of beating anyone.” – Atlético Ottawa captain Manny Aparicio
“When you have a successful season, it's always difficult to keep the same level in the next season. It's normal because the teams that didn't win improve their squads to try to be the champions, and sometimes the focus of the players goes a little bit down because they aren’t feeling the same sensations as the last season. But all the time, what is in the past needs to be in the past, and we need to fight again. We need to write a new history every season." – Atlético Ottawa head coach Gustavo Leal
How They Win
The biggest questions surrounding Atleti all season have been defensive. Atleti allowed 45 goals this season, and allowed 144 shots on target, the second most in the league. If they can lock things up at the back, however, they've proven they get results. In the 13 matches where they limited their opponents to one or fewer goals this season, Ottawa were unbeaten with a 10-3-0 record.
Atleti are also going to need their gamebreakers at both ends of the pitch to come up big. Chris Kalongo has made some vital saves this year and will be called upon to do so again. Manuel Aparicio needs to win his battles in midfield, and perhaps chip in a big moment offensively, while Ballou Tabla and Nicholas Fleuriau Chateau will be called upon to create timely goals.
On their day, however, Ottawa are tremendously difficult to beat, especially at home. They have defeated every team they will face in the playoffs this year, and will be plenty confident they can do it again when it matters most.
