The Portland Timbers have spent so long away from home this season they might have forgotten what it looks like. Of course, Providence Park will look very different when Giovanni Savarese’s team return from a 12-game jaunt on the road for their first home game this year against LAFC this weekend, what with the shiny new main stand now finished.

Diego Chara is a player who has witnessed the growth and development of the Timbers firsthand, from their expansion into Major League Soccer until now. The Colombian has become a Portland stalwart, and he spoke to FloFC ahead of the return to Providence Park about the redeveloped stadium, the Timbers Army, his favorite TIFOs, and more.

FloFC: How much are you looking forward to going back home to Providence Park this weekend?

Diego Chara: Yes, the team is very excited to have the opportunity to play at home again after 12 away games. Everybody is ready to go home. It’s going to be a good game as well. We’re going to play against the best team in the league right now, and it’s going to be a good challenge for us. They have good players. We have to turn in our best performances.

How frustrating has it been spending so long on the road at the start of this season?

It’s not been frustrating, but it was really hard. The beginning of the season was very difficult to find results. But after our first win of the season I think the team gained confidence and we started to play better football. It was in that fifth game of the season that we started to find a way to get results [away from home]. Now feels like the right time to go back to Providence Park, though.

Have you had a chance to look around the redeveloped stadium? What did you think?

Not yet, no. Tomorrow [Thursday] we have a practice over there, and we are going to have a look around everything that’s new there. In my opinion, it’s going to be fantastic. I believe with the new additions it’s going to be louder than before. The team is very, very excited to play at Providence Park again.

There are some fantastic stadiums in MLS: Banc of California Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Red Bull Arena. How will the new Providence Park compare?

I think it will be up there. I believe that with the new addition Providence Park is going to be one of the best stadiums in North America. For me it’s very special to play in front of the Timbers Army and an honor to play at Providence Park. They are such loyal fans.

The Timbers Army are famous for their TIFOs. What has been your favorite one over the years?

I don’t have just one favorite, I have a couple favorites. The ones I remember are the ones from when we face the Seattle Sounders, our rival team. I think those TIFOs for those games are so special.

The Timbers broke their club transfer record to sign Brian Fernandez. What has he brought to the team?

He is the key player right now in our attack. He showed that in the last couple games. He is a very good player, and we have a team now that can help him produce his best performances. This is a league that has a lot of big-name players, but Fernandez has to be up there as one of the best.

You were the Portland Timbers’ first ever Designated Player. Is the time right for the league to allow teams to sign more than three DPs?

Yes, I think the league must always try to have a better level of play. I think maybe in the future the rule is going to change. That might be what has to happen.

You’ve got a lot of home games between now and the end of the season. Are you in a better position than your league place suggests?

I think, to be honest, we could be in an even better position. But like you say, we have had 12 away games in a row to start the season and that was difficult. Now, we are going back to Providence Park and it’s a long season. Everything can change.

Portland calls itself “Soccer City USA.” Why does it deserve that title?

I have had the opportunity to play at stadiums around the league and I think the passion for soccer here in Portland is really something special and that really brings something to the league.

You’ve been at Portland for eight years. You know the place well. What’s the best thing about the city?

Because of the weather the best time in the city is in the summer. Portland has great views and I love to go to the beach with my family. For me, it’s a place I love and know well. My family is the best part of my life. Their support of me is great and when I have free time I try to spend as much as possible with them. Portland is a place we feel comfortable.

Can you see yourself ever leaving the Timbers and Portland in the future?

I don’t know. My focus right now is on Portland. But in soccer you never know and you never know where the next club is. But I have achieved my goals in my career here. This season, we have to first aim for the playoffs and after that we have to fight to win the cup. Every season the Portland Timbers are growing up and everyone wants the opportunity to win MLS Cup again. I think everyone here is on the same page.

Graham Ruthven is a soccer writer based in the U.K. He has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Eurosport, Bleacher Report, and others.