Soccer
LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig will miss MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi after suffering a torn left ACL (knee) in the club’s 1-0 Western Conference Final victory over Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night.
The torn ACL was revealed in an MRI performed Sunday morning. Puig will undergo surgery on a to-be-determined date.
Puig sustained the injury in the second half of the match vs. Seattle, continuing to play over 30 minutes despite his injury. He provided the game-winning assist on Dejan Joveljić’s 85th-minute goal.
“Today begins a new challenge,” Puig wrote on social media. “I will be off the pitch for several months, but am already looking towards and motivated to return stronger than ever and ready to continue making history in this club.
“Thank you to everyone for your messages of support and love; they truly give me the strength to tackle this recovery.”
Race for six
MLS Cup 2024 is set for Saturday, Dec. 7 at LA’s Dignity Health Sports Park (4 pm ET | Apple TV – Free; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).
The Galaxy are the West No. 2 seed and host the resurgent New York Red Bulls (East No. 7), chasing a record sixth league title.
“I’m so proud of how hard we’ve fought to get here, and I know my teammates will give their all to bring the trophy home,” Puig wrote.
“Even though I can’t be on the field, I’ll be cheering from the sidelines with the same passion as always. Let’s go, Galaxy! Keep making us dream.”
Midfielder @RiquiPuig has sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee.
Puig sustained the injury in the second half of the match, continuing to play over thirty minutes despite his injury, and providing the game-winning assist on Dejan Joveljić’s 85th… pic.twitter.com/roTZASvPZ3
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) December 2, 2024
Puig’s impact
LA’s No. 10 was among the league’s best players in 2024, recording 36 goal contributions (17g/19a) in 36 matches across all competitions. In four games during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, he notched 4g/3a.
The Spanish playmaker conducts LA’s attack, which also features DP wingers Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec, Joveljić, and German star Marco Reus. For MLS Cup, head coach Greg Vanney could turn to Reus and Diego Fagúndez as replacements.
Puig, 25, joined LA in August 2022 from boyhood side FC Barcelona. In May, the two-time MLS All-Star signed a DP contract extension through the 2027 season.
While no recovery timeline was immediately available, Puig is expected to miss a significant portion of LA’s 2025 campaign.
Read MoreNancie Kucera