[ad_1]
The Galaxy may very well be with out Riqui Puig for a second straight season, with the crew confirming Friday that the midfielder will bear a second surgical procedure Saturday to restore the torn ACL that precipitated him to overlook all of 2025.
Puig, 26, tore the ligament in his left knee within the 2024 MLS Western Convention remaining with Seattle. Every week later the Galaxy received their sixth league title. However enjoying with out Puig in 2025, the crew stumbled by way of the worst season in franchise historical past, profitable simply seven video games.
Puig, a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy, returned to coaching with the Galaxy within the fall. However the Galaxy mentioned he had a setback in his restoration after returning to Spain for the vacations. After consulting with the membership’s medical workers and outdoors specialists, the Galaxy and Puig agreed to a second surgical procedure.
The timeline for Puig’s return is not going to be decided till after the operation, however dropping him for any period of time will likely be one other important blow for the crew since final 12 months’s efficiency proved Puig is the Galaxy’s most irreplaceable participant.
Puig had profession highs for targets (13) and assists (15) in 2024, when he additionally led the league in touches and passes, serving to the Galaxy set an MLS file with 4 gamers scoring 10 or extra instances. With out him, the crew’s possession-based assault suffered, scoring 23 fewer targets and seeing only one participant, winger Joseph Paintsil, attain double figures in scoring.
The Galaxy didn’t place Puig on the season-ending harm record final season, hoping he would return in some unspecified time in the future. If medical doctors decide he’s unlikely to play this season, it’s unlikely the crew would make the identical mistake since shelving Puig would open up a designated-play spot. Puig, who made $5.78 million final season, the eight-largest contract in MLS, is signed by way of 2027.
Earlier than the Puig information the Galaxy had loved a productive offseason, buying Jakob Glesnes, a former MLS defender of the 12 months, in a commerce with the Philadelphia Union and signing defender Justin Haak to a free-agent contract.
[ad_2]
