The Portland Timbers didn’t expect Cristhian Paredes to break into the starting lineup so quickly in 2018. The Timbers acquired Paredes on loan with an option to buy from Liga MX side Club America prior to the start of the season, hoping that the then-19-year-old would be able to develop into a consistent contributor for the club over time.

But injuries thrust Paredes into the lineup on opening day in 2018 and the Paraguayan youngster made the most of his opportunity, proving to be a steady force in central midfield. He went on to appear in Portland’s first 14 matches of the season, making 13 starts.

He then mysteriously disappeared from the lineup.

Paredes made just five starts in Portland’s final 20 regular season games of 2018 and did not make a single appearance during the postseason. Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said at the time that Paredes had simply fallen behind other players on the depth chart, but that he still remained an important part of the club’s future.

But there was more to the story. Paredes said this week that he was dealing with an unspecified family issue during the middle of the 2018 season. Paredes said it was particularly difficult to navigate the situation because he was so far away from his family at the time. His entire family still lives in Paraguay.

“It wasn’t anything related to my game,” said Paredes, through an interpreter. “It was a family problem. I talked to Gio and he was very helpful and supportive and he understood what I was going through. It wasn’t related to any sporting issues.”

The off-field situation had a big impact on Paredes' on-field performance.

Paredes started to face increased competition for playing time last summer after midfielder David Guzman returned to the club following the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Guzman ultimately regained his starting position in central midfield and played a key role for the Timbers down the stretch.

But by the time Guzman returned to the lineup, Paredes wasn’t even in the right head space to vie for a consistent starting spot. The teenager said that he lost confidence in himself as he struggled to get back in the lineup and found it particularly tough to refocus without any family or friends nearby to lean on. While Paredes spent a year competing in Mexico, he had never lived in the United States prior to joining the Timbers and found himself keenly aware of the distance between Portland and Paraguay.

“I had no family here,” Paredes said. “I was on my own and it was a very difficult time for me. You kind of tend to lose trust in yourself when you’re going through a harsh time. I think that’s what happened to me during that period.”

Things started to change for Paredes last fall as he began to earn call-ups to the Paraguay National Team. Training with the national team in a familiar setting helped Paredes start to regain confidence in himself.

“Being with the national team helped me a lot,” Paredes said. “After I came back from the national team trip, I felt a lot better.”

Paredes, who is now 20, has carried that renewed confidence into preseason training camp this year.

He said that he has already had a conversation with Savarese about the upcoming season and the role that he could play for the club. Paredes said he now feels more comfortable in Portland and is excited to be back training alongside his Timbers teammates.

He hopes to fight for minutes and make an impact on the field this season as the Timbers once again try to make a run to the MLS Cup. He said he hopes that the Timbers will officially buy him from Club America this year.

But with Guzman and Timbers mainstay Diego Chara returning to the club this season, Paredes will have to fight for his opportunities.

“Everyone is fighting for a position," Savarese said. "They have to work hard. They aren’t going to get things just because they are young players. They have to earn it.”

That’s fine with Paredes. Heading into his second season with the Timbers, Paredes feels ready to compete.

“I feel that this year is much different,” Paredes said. “Now, I just have to work, work every day. We’re in preseason and you have to keep working hard to earn the coach’s trust.”

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg

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