LA Galaxy Head Coach, Sigi Schmid told reporters at training Wednesday that Designated Player, and 2017 Team MVP, Romain Alessandrini would not be making the trip to New York this weekend as originally reported by Adam Serrano of LAGalaxy.com. The Galaxy are slated to face New York City FC on Sunday at Yankee Stadium (2 p.m, March 11 on SpectrumSN and Spectrum Deportes).
Alessandrini was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain during the broadcast of the match but was slated to see a doctor on Wednesday for further evaluation.
He picked up the injury in the 61st-minute of the Galaxy’s 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers last Sunday. The injury occurred after Alessandrini picked up a ball near his own penalty box and sprinted into open space. He pulled up short while holding the back of his right leg and was replaced by Galaxy midfielder Chris Pontius.
Alessandrini joins a few other names on the current injury list.
Bradford Jamieson IV is still recovering from a concussion suffered in preseason training. The young attacking players has now been sidelined with the injury for 38 days although he was seen running on the field before the Galaxy’s last home game.
João Pedro is also recovering from an injury but has recently returned to full training with the club. Pedro missed the Galaxy’s first game of the season with a left leg injury – possibly a knee.
But Pontius, who replaced Alessandrini during Sunday’s match, also seems to have picked up a knock and, according to Schmid, will be a game-time decision.
This could force the Galaxy to start Sebastian Lletget if Pontius can’t play, or it could mean limited minutes for both.
Lletget, as you’ll remember, is also on the mend from a broken foot suffered almost a year ago (March 24, 2017) with the U.S. Men’s National Team. The club has been overly cautious with his return and limited him to just 20-minutes off the bench in the season opener. It’s unknown if his fitness will allow for 60+ minutes on a small field in Yankee Stadium this weekend.
Alessandrini could be available for the Galaxy’s next opponent on March 24. That’s when the Galaxy will travel to BC Place to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps. Possibly complicating the return would be that the Whitecaps play on a turf field. Which may aggravate Alessandrini’s hamstring more than grass.
INJURY LIST
- Bradford Jamieson IV, Concussion – OUT vs NYC
- João Pedro, Left Leg Injury – Unkown vs NYC
- Romain Alessandrini, Right Hamstring Strain – OUT vs NYC
- Chris Pontius, Unknown Knock – Game-Time Decision vs NYC