Hirving “Chucky” Lozano‘s exile from San Diego FC‘s squad will finish this weekend however the Mexico ahead won’t go straight again into the membership’s beginning lineup, head coach Mikey Varas mentioned Thursday.
Lozano has been absent from San Diego’s final two matches, together with its first-ever playoff recreation in opposition to the Portland Timbers on Sunday, after an inside incident.
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Whereas the membership has not commented on the precise nature of the offense, The Athletic reported that Lozano was concerned in a verbal altercation earlier this month after being substituted at halftime in opposition to the Houston Dynamo.
Following the report, Lozano issued an apology on social media.
Varas mentioned after a 2-1 residence victory in Recreation 1 of the first-round sequence with Portland that Lozano was in line for a return so long as continued to indicate dedication in coaching. And the coach has now confirmed plans to reintegrate the previous PSV Eindhoven and Napoli winger for Recreation 2 in Portland on Sunday.
“Primarily based on the whole lot that we have seen, he’ll be touring to Portland and he’ll be coming off the bench for us,” Varas advised reporters.
Requested what Lozano had proven in coaching, Varas responded: “Simply that he desires to be part of the group, it is crucial factor, [showing] by means of your actions that you simply need to be a part of the group.”
Lozano was signed as San Diego’s first designated participant final yr and is the fifth-highest earner in MLS, with annual assured compensation of $6 million.
In his first yr in MLS, Lozano has 9 targets and 10 assists throughout 27 appearances as San Diego took the highest seed within the Western Convention. Varas, a finalist for Coach of the Yr, helped San Diego set MLS data for essentially the most wins (19) and most factors (63) recorded by an growth workforce.
Sunday will mark the third straight weekend that San Diego and Portland have met after additionally dealing with off on the ultimate day of the common season. San Diego has overwhelmed Portland in all three of their matches this season.
