LAFC striker Carlos Vela will not participate in the Back is MLS Tournament, the club and the player announced Monday.
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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.
“I would like nothing more than to be with my teammates in Orlando. I always want to give everything I have to my Club, to our fans and followers and to the city of Los Angeles. However, it is the best for the health of my family stay home and be with my wife during a risky pregnancy, “Vela said in a statement.
The league setup on the grounds of the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando prohibits family and friends from remaining within the bubble intended to protect teams amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“LAFC fully supports and respects the difficult decision Carlos and his family have made not to participate in the MLS Is Back Tournament. We have had numerous conversations with Carlos during this process and we understand his unique situation and the importance of Carlos being at home with his family right now. We appreciate the support of the league, and we look forward to Carlos joining the Club again when we return from Orlando and start moving forward with the rest of the season, “said LAFC General Manager John Thorrington.
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Bob Bradley doesn’t care about LAFC without Carlos Vela and supports his captain’s decision to stay home.
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.
Speaking at a press conference later in the day, LAFC coach Bob Bradley said the team will miss Vela, but that he has been preparing to play without him.
“Carlos is certainly an important player, but the way we train and the way we prepare is to be a good team when Carlos is not on the field and we have had some moments when I think that has been the case” Bradley said. . “We train in different ways every day, we mix lineups, we make sure that the boys get used to playing with different people, so the mentality is what I said before: we support Carlos, it is important for him to be with his family and now [comes] the challenge of returning to the field after a long layoff. “
Bradley also said that the club has been monitoring the coronavirus pandemic situation.
“In terms of COVID cases, of course, we are concerned. We are concerned with what we see happening across the country in different states and we are all paying close attention to the news coming out of Orlando from the bubble.” Bradley added. “We have been confident here even though there is a huge increase in cases in Los Angeles because we have continued to do negative tests and the boys have been confident that when they come every day our training facility is a safe place.”
“The reminder for all players is that it is about helping each other, it is about a group that stays together, it is not a time to socialize with all the other teams. There are great challenges for this kind of situation in a bubble and I think the best way to try to help each other is to be strong as a group. “
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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