According to a report by the AJC’s Doug Roberson, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan tore his MCL in the first half of Saturday night’s 1-1 match with NYCFC. Guzan is expected to miss 10-12 weeks due to the injury. The veteran goalie, who returned this season after missing much of it with an Achilles tear, played through the pain for most of the contest.
Here’s Footage of The Tackle Where Guzan Was Injured in The 17th Minute.
Brad is now out for three months as a result of this incident. It didn’t even draw a yellow card. PRO needs to do more to protect goalkeepers. pic.twitter.com/oByrcWxNWQ
— Mike Conti (@MikeConti929) April 11, 2023
Gonzalo Pineda was furious with the refereeing after the game, alleging that they “failed in their obligation to protect players on the field.” Fairness can be seen in the outcome. The game officials’ decisions and execution irritated me. Time and again this season, the odds have been stacked against us.
The way Drew [Fischer] continued to play the game has really irritated me. For the second time, NYCFC was not punished for attacking Brad Guzan’s knee. I informed him [Drew Fischer] that I was quite unhappy about it. The league and the referees need to respect us again. To earn people’s respect, we must improve our records and bring home more hardware.
As a fan, I was really frustrated by the officials’ handling of the game. The estimate of ten minutes was off. When compared to Brad [Guzan’s] yellow card for a tackle, I think Georgios Giakoumakis‘s yellow card for a foul is completely justified.
What you did has made me very angry. It’s the little things, and they add up when you’re playing an excellent team led by a mastermind coach on the road. I’m proud of my team’s work ethic and the enthusiasm they displayed today. If we want the refs to take us seriously, we need to put on more impressive displays like these.
Atlanta United today announced Brad Guzan is expected to miss an estimated 10-to-12 weeks after suffering a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at New York City FC.
Get well soon BG pic.twitter.com/rvmGUOK1pt— DjShockley (@DjShockley3) April 11, 2023
That that wasn’t even a yellow card is unfathomable to me after seeing the tackle on Brad Guzan. The decision seemed flawed to me. This was their second such attempt against Brad Guzan in quick succession. Referees aren’t looking out for my team’s best interests, but they are for the opposition.
It’s important to remember that Pineda probably didn’t know the whole scope of Guzan’s diagnosis when he spoke to the media, but he still knew it was serious business compared to what the general public knew.
Read More: Rangers Shortstop Corey Seager Leaves Tuesday’s Game Against the Royals with A Leg Injury!
Losing their starting goalie and captain has put Atlanta United in a position they’ve been in before. After bringing in Quentin Westberg and Clement Diop, two players with MLS experience, they look like a more formidable opponent than they were last season. Before joining Atlanta United, Westberg spent four years as a starter with Toronto FC.
