The Chicago Fire still don’t know if midfielder Sebastian Grazzini will be available for Tuesday’s US Open Cup final at the Seattle Sounders.
Interim head coach Frank Klopas told reporters on Monday’s US Soccer conference call that the team won’t make a decision on Grazzini – who has missed the Fire’s last two games with a left hamstring injury – until Tuesday morning.
“He’s been pushing himself everyday in training,” Klopas said. “Obviously we’re going to do a little bit more in tonight’s session and evaluate how he feels, and then we’ll check tomorrow morning and if he’s ok I think he’ll be available to be in the 18.”
Grazzini missed the Fire’s last two matches due to a left hamstring injury he picked up in the first half of Chicago’s 3-2 win over New England last Sunday. The Fire did fine without him, winning 3-0 at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday and tying 1-1 at Houston on Saturday.
“We just have to see how he reacts after today’s session,” Klopas added. “We pushed him yesterday a little bit with our fitness coach, a little bit more today and then we just have to see because with a hamstring, you never know until you actually go out there and do some kind of fitness test, do some sprinting and see how he feels afterwards.”
Though they didn’t drop any results without him, Chicago will still want their Argentine playmaker on the field for Tuesday’s final. The 30-year-old attacking midfielder has been a revelation since joining Chicago in mid-July, scoring three goals and providing four assists in nine league games.
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com
