Saba Lobjanidze, Atlanta United player, recounts his experience with the earthquake that struck Türkiye

It was a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its epicenter struck near Antakya, where Lubjandiz lived and played for Hatayspor in Turkey. It was one of the worst earthquakes in the country's history. It is 59 seconds long, where Lobzhanidze lived but longer elsewhere, and the date, February 6, 2023, is something Lobzhanidze will never forget.

“You saw him; you realize you're so weak,” he said Thursday. “I was praying and crying. What can you do?”

Loganides was lucky. His team had played a game the night before. He would hang out with friends until 2 a.m. before returning home. He was alone and was grateful that none of his family were visiting.

The two-storey house he was renting five minutes from the city center was damaged but did not collapse. Lubjanidze lost some clothes and jewelry, but expressed no interest in destroying material items.

Others lost much more. One of his Hatayspor teammates, Christian Atsu, was in a nearby building that collapsed. He was one of more than 55,000 people who died.

The next day, Lobjanidze drove where he could.

“I saw people who were trying to find their kids, and that was really hard to see,” he said.

Lobjandize and some of his teammates formed the equivalent of a foundation to share parts of their salaries to try to help those affected and help Hatayspor finally play again. Hatayspor and Gaziantep, another club affected, have withdrawn from the remainder of the Turkish top flight season. Both clubs are back and playing this season.

Lubjanidze said that staying in Türkiye is very difficult. He returned to his family in his native Georgia. He said he had difficulty sleeping for a month and was unable to stay in bed on his own. Lobjanidze found it difficult to return home as well. He decided to go on loan to another club in the Turkish First Division, Karagumruk. Lobjandize needed a training and match routine.

He added: “Football helped me.

Lobjanidze was sold to Atlanta United that summer. He said he hopes to one day visit Antakya, located on Turkey's southeastern coast near Syria.

The experience changed him.

Lobjanidze said he is now focusing more on the present.

“What do you do now? Just have fun because we never know what's going to happen the next minute or the next day or the next year.”

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Atlanta United Schedule 2024

February 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0

March 9 vs. New England, 7:30 p.m

March 17 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m., first stage

March 23 in Toronto, 7:30 p.m

March 31 vs. Chicago, 3:30 p.m., Fox

April 6 in New York City, 7:30 p.m

April 14 vs. Philadelphia, 2:30 p.m., Fox

April 20 vs. Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m

April 27 in Chicago, 8:30 p.m

May 4 vs. May 4 Minnesota, 7:30 p.m

May 11 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m

May 15 in Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m

May 18 in Nashville, 1:30 p.m

May 25 vs. Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m

May 29 in Miami, 7:30 p.m

June 2 vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., Fox

June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m

June 19 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m

June 22 in St. Louis, 8:30 p.m

June 29 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m

July 3 in New England, 7:30 p.m

July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m

July 13 in Montreal, 7:30 p.m

July 17 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m

July 20 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m

August 24 at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m

Aug. 31 in Charlotte, 7:30 p.m

Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m

Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m

September 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m

Sept. 28 in Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m

Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m

October 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m

Oct. 19 in Orlando, 6 p.m

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