Atlanta United has lost yet another defender to a major injury.
Atlanta United announced today that Ronald Hernandez will miss 3-4 months as he recovers from an MCL injury sustained in the first minute of Atlanta United’s loss to the Columbus Crew on Memorial Day weekend.
The injury is a brutal blow not just for Hernandez, but obviously for Atlanta United and head coach Gonzalo Pineda, who will now have to make do with another major injury to his back line. Hernandez was moved into a starting role Saturday for Andrew Gutman, who the team had just lost the week earlier to a quadriceps tendon injury that will see him miss months of the season. Most notably, the team is already without Miles Robinson and Brad Guzan who both have suffered season-ending Achilles tendon ruptures.
With the secondary transfer window not opening until July 7, the team will hope that Homegrown player Caleb WIley will be fit and ready to play at left back (or left wingback) when the team returns to action after the international break on June 19 against Inter Miami. Prior to that game, the team will host CF Pachuca in a friendly where Pineda could give several Atlanta United 2 defenders a test run — that game takes place June 14.
It is trying times for a club suffering an injury crisis the likes of which have hardly ever been seen in MLS history.