Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez left Saturday's season-opening 2-1 win at Nashville in the 69th minute with an undisclosed injury to his right leg. He was seen by a Fox 5 reporter leaving the locker room wearing an air cast that covered most of his right leg. After taking a few steps, a cart was brought to take him out of the building.
Manager Frank de Boer didn’t have any updates on Martinez’s injury, other than he suspected that it was a knee injury and that the player would be evaluated at a hospital in Atlanta in the coming days.
“Josef doesn’t look really, really well right now but I can’t say anything about it,” de Boer said.
The injury occurred around the 63rd minute when Martinez collided with a Nashville defender. He stayed down for a few minutes. He eventually walked off the field and return to the game in the 67th minute.
Following a Nashville corner, Martinez gestured to the bench that he needed to be subbed. After Atlanta United cleared the corner, Martinez sat on the turf.
Martinez is arguably the greatest striker in MLS with 77 goals in 83 games. He was named the league’s MVP in 2018.
Should the prognosis not be good, de Boer said he will ask the front office to sign another striker. The team has at least one roster spot and one international spot remaining. However, the team has reportedly been tied to Mexican midfielder Jurgen Damm.
Atlanta United will host Cincinnati next week in its home opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta United will play at Club America in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal series on March 11.
Adam Jahn came on to play striker for Atlanta United against Nashville.
Atlanta United’s roster has already been decimated by injuries.
Centerback Franco Escobar was forced off after appearing to suffer an injury to his right leg just before halftime. De Boer described it as a muscular injury. He said Escobar took a knock on his thigh and felt something. In another moment, Escobar felt whatever it was more and didn’t want to take the risk to continue.
The team was already missing centerback Miles Robinson (quad) and fullbacks George Bello (concussion) and Edgar Castillo (rib). Bello and Castillo are expected to return next week.
Also missing were midfielder Matheus Rossetto, who was working on his visa, and winger Manuel Castro, who just completed his visa.
Atlanta United has twice called up players on emergency, four-day contracts, to help fill out the roster. Laurence Wyke was one of those for Saturday’s game. He came in for Escobar.
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