Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake: 'It's not about payback; it's about advancing'

Last season, Real Salt Lake ended the Seattle Sounders' season with a 3-2 aggregate win in the Western Conference semifinals and as the two teams get ready to square off in the same round of this year's playoffs, there has been plenty of talk about "payback" in Seattle. Not so fast, according to Sigi Schmid.

It's not about payback; it's about advancing. We've got too much to think about to think about payback and getting even and all that. All we want to do is advance. Advancing will give us payback.

Schmid does have a point. The Sounders have had a fantastic first three seasons in MLS, finishing near the top of the league in the regular season and winning three U.S. Open Cups, but they have yet to win a single playoff tie. Once the postseason comes around, Seattle goes out quick. That is much more important for the Sounders to rectify than get some payback.

This is the Sounders' fourth trip to the playoffs and if they go out without advancing again, the heat will really be on. It doesn't matter who Seattle is playing or who may have beat them last year. At this point, the Sounders just need to win a playoff tie, regardless of the opponent or history between the two teams.