UPPER MONTCLAIR, N.J. – The New York Red Bulls couldn't even escape the injury bug over the international break.
After dealing with a rash of absences already this season, the Red Bulls now have a new injuries to two key players to deal with. Midfielders Rafa Márquez and Joel Lindpere suffered thigh and back injuries, respectively, while on national team duty, and their availability for this weekend’s road match against the Chicago Fire is in question.
“We don’t know that much with Márquez’s injury,” Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe told reporters after Tuesday’s training session. “We haven’t heard that much. Joel, he has had problems with his back a number of months, but hopefully, he can train tomorrow, but I don’t know.”
Backe also touched on injured midfielder Teemu Tainio, who has been out of action since early April with a knee injury. Whether Tainio will play again won’t be known for another month, the RBNY coach said, but the former Finnish international returned to working out with the club on Tuesday.
“He has started today doing some kind of training sessions in the gym,” said Backe. “You just have to wait and see how he responds with that kind of training.”
Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at Franco8813@gmail.com.
