CARSON, Calif. — As the LA Galaxy prepare for their first match in nearly two weeks, the club is without a key part of the puzzle: their captain.
Landon Donovan missed Thursday’s training session as Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said the star was nursing a quadriceps injury. This is seemingly the latest ailment Donovan has had to deal with since returning from England and a winter loan to Everton.
“Since he’s come back, he’s had a bunch and we’ve kept him out of training,” Arena told reporters on Thursday.
Donovan, though, has not missed any playing time because of injury or illness. He sat out nearly two weeks worth of training sessions because of pneumonia earlier this month, but he still played in both legs of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Toronto FC as well as the regular-season opener against Real Salt Lake, all within an eight-day span coming out of preseason.
Arena said he would know more on Friday but admitted that Donovan may not be able to play in Saturday's match at The Home Depot Center against New England (11 pm ET, NBC Sports Network, LIVE CHAT on MLSsoccer.com).
“It’s always possible,” Arena said of Donovan perhaps missing the game. “That’s been the case the last two or three games.”
LA midfielder David Beckham said he had faith that Donovan would be OK.
“He’s got a slight problem, but it’s not a big issue,” he told reporters. “We have to be careful with players and little niggles they pick up.”
The Galaxy have enough depth in the midfield to weather whatever storm this may cause, Beckham said.
“I’ve spoke to him a couple of times and it’s just precaution that he’s pulling out training," he said. "If he’s not all right, we’ve got players who will step in and do the job. His health is the most important part.”
Luis Bueno covers the LA Galaxy for MLSsoccer.com and can be reached at buenodad@gmail.com.
