Star LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig suffered a torn ACL on Saturday against the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final, the club announced on Sunday.
Puig will miss Saturday’s MLS Cup clash with the New York Red Bulls.
The Spaniard sustained the injury in the second half before playing more than 30 minutes, finding striker Dejan Joveljic for the game-winning goal in the 85th minute, and finishing the match. An MRI on Sunday morning revealed the torn ACL, and Puig will now undergo surgery on a date to be determined.
DEJAN JOVELJIC SCORES AND THE @LAGalaxy ARE MINUTES AWAY FROM VICTORY! 👊
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 1, 2024
Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/1V0b6uFbdt
Puig provided at least one goal contribution in all four of the LA Galaxy’s playoff matches so far this year, including two braces against the Colorado Rapids in Round One and an assist in the Western Conference semifinal against Minnesota United. In the regular season, the 25-year-old scored 13 goals and added nine assists.
“We know that whatever we were going to do, we were going to be building around Riqui Puig,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz told Backheeled earlier this season. “When Greg Vanney and I talked to ownership about our vision for this coming season, our plan for the offseason was to think of Riqui as our quarterback,” he added later.
Though he’s not short on talented midfield options, Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney will have to dig down his midfield depth chart for MLS Cup.
Joe’s view:
This is a brutal turn of events for the LA Galaxy.
