LAFC forward Carlos Vela is out of the Back is MLS Tournament after choosing not to fly with his teammates to Orlando, Florida, a league source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN.
The news was first reported by Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.
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Current MLS MVP Vela, whose wife is pregnant, was unlikely to participate in the tournament, as ESPN reported earlier this month.
The league setup on the grounds of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando prohibits family and friends from remaining within the bubble intended to protect teams amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The absence of former Mexican international Vela, 31, is a severe blow to LAFC. He has scored 57 goals in 72 league, playoff and cup games.
However, Black and Gold would continue to be among the tournament favorites. LAFC is the current holder of the Supporters’ Shield, emblematic of the best regular season record, and the team returned most of its players this season.
LAFC is scheduled to travel to Orlando on Monday afternoon before its first game on July 13 against the Houston Dynamo.
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