Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls are set to define the winner of the MLS 2024 season on Saturday at the Dignity Health Sports Park. However, the side from Los Angeles suffered a last moment setback after team star Riqui Puig suffered a severe injury, sidelining him for the game.
As LA Galaxy reports, the Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee in the playoffs game against Seattle Sounders.
The club communicated that the number 10 will undergo surgery, ruling him out for the final game against New York RB. The team also reported that the player suffered the injury in the second half, but never asked for being subbed off.
The former Barcelona played 30 minutes injured, fully commited to the team to get to the final stage. Puig was a key player in the game, after playing a through ball to striker Dejan Joveljic that ended up being the definitive goal in the 1-0 victory against Seattle Sounders.
The exact moment of the injury was in the 15th minute of the second half, where after a recovery in defense, Puig tries to drive the ball forward, but Seattle Sounders’ midfielder Cristian Roldan tackled the Spanish down. The American earned a yellow card after the ferocious tackle, and Puig had to be assisted. With this injury update, he’ll surely be missed in the final game.
The MLS season of Riqui Puig
Since joining Galaxy in August 2022 from Barcelona, he established himself as one of the greatest players in the MLS. The Spaniard has already been called up two times for the MLS All-Star Game, and signed a new deal as franchise player until the 2027 season.
In the 2024 MLS season, Riqui Puig registered 37 goal contributions, with 17 goals scored and 20 assists delivered, being the playmaker of the team. During the MLS playoffs, the Spanish registered another 4 goals and 3 assists, being one of the biggest reasons LA Galaxy will be playing the final.
When will Riqui Puig return?
Neither the club nor the league have released a statement regarding Riqui Puig’s comeback to the pitch. However, the naturalyty of the injury suggest that the midfielder will be missing between 6 to 8 months to recover from his ACL injury. This means that he’ll miss a big chunk of the 2025 MLS season.
