There’s always a sense of anticipation when Josef Martínez is made available to reporters. His appearances are rare, so it’s common to see more television crews at training on those days.



On Tuesday, the Venezuelan striker stood in front of the cameras and answered questions about his fitness and Atlanta United’s playoff opponent. Things were going smoothly. Martínez was candid with his answers. He was smiling for the cameras.



But his mood changed after a local reporter asked him about Atlanta United potentially coming out flat on Saturday against the New England Revolution.



“If someone shows up with a flat mentality, I’ll kick their ass,” Martínez said with a stern look on his face. “You should’ve been prepared from the time our first game against New England ended. Whoever messes with my job, I’ll kick them. Nobody plays with my money or my family. I’m here to win.