Juan Pablo Angel is still sore from Julian de Guzman’s horror tackle last weekend, both figuratively and literally. He’s carrying a lower leg strain after a tackle he called both late and unneeded; but he’s escaped serious injury and the team is confident he may play against Santos in the March 20 opening of Red Bull Arena.
“It looks ok. I would say at first we thought it was something with the knee and it could have been dangerous, but it’s on the back of the knee. It’s muscular in a way, some tightness. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he joins us for Fort Lauderdale Monday all ready to go,” said coach Hans Backe, who didn’t think Angel would miss any time. “No. Hopefully I think he can join us next week.”
Angel suffered the injury after been scythed to the turf last weekend in Orlando. He had already scored a hat-trick against Toronto in the final of the Disney Classic, and after de Guzman lost the ball he chopped Angel down from behind with a 69th-minute straight red card offense that still had the Red Bull captain vexed.
“Yes it was very unnecessary foul, I will say. It was a late tackle. There was no need for it, especially for a player of his experience,” said Angel, who didn’t participate in team drills today at Montclair State but was working out on a treadmill. “I feel better. Still sore, but I feel better.”
Angel wasn’t ready to rule himself into or out of the friendly against Brazilian power Santos. He did say that the prospect of playing in Red Bull Arena was one of the reasons he left the Premier League and Aston Villa to sign in New York, but he cautions that the focus has to be the March 27 MLS opener vs. Chicago.
“I’d like to take it day-by-day and see how much progress I’m making. But at the end of the day the Santos game is a friendly game. I’m more concerned about the league than the Santos game, for sure. But I’ll see,” said Angel.
“I’ve been taking it day-by-day and having very good progress, but it’s still sore. I’ve been doing all sorts of things with the trainers, strengthening work, deep tissue massage to try and bring down the inflammation.”