Coach Adrian Heath gives Minnesota United FC injury updates

The team will have to bring all 17 available players to New England tomorrow, which is one short of a full 18-man match-day squad.

March 23, 2017 at 6:43PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune)
(Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota United FC coach Adrian Heath gave an update on some injured players at practice Thursday ahead of a 1 p.m. Saturday clash at the New England Revolution.

Draftee Thomas de Villardi will for sure be unavailable this weekend and probably for much longer than that after hobbling out of the training session Wednesday on crutches.

"He's got a serious injury, and we'll make an announcement when we have a little bit more information, but it doesn't look good for the kid, unfortunately, because he's had a great preseason and made a really big impression on everybody at the club," Heath said. "He'll show the same attitude, no doubt, that he's shown since he's been with us with his rehabilitation, and we'll give him all the necessary time and patience that he'll need."

Heath also said defender Joe Greenspan, despite practicing without contact this week after a concussion, isn't quite at full-strength.

"I think he's getting to that stage. By Monday, he'll probably be all in," Heath said. "So we'll probably go with one light on the bench, which is never ideal. But, hey, it is what it is."

The team will have to bring all 17 available players to New England tomorrow, which is one short of a full 18-man match-day squad. De Villardi, Greenspan, midfielder Bernardo Anor as well as goalkeepers John Alvbage and Patrick McLain are all injured. Defender Justin Davis is suspended for a red card. And defender Francisco Calvo as well as midfielders Johan Venegas, Rasmus Schuller and Kevin Molino are all on national team duty.

That leaves United's match-day squad as:

Goalkeepers: Bobby Shuttleworth and Billy Heavner

Defenders: Brent Kallman, Jerome Thiesson, Vadim Demidov, Jermaine Taylor and Kevin Venegas

Midfielders: Miguel Ibarra, Bashkim Kadrii, Collen Warner, Mohammed Saeid, Josh Gatt, Ibson, Ish Jome and Collin Martin

Forwards: Christian Ramirez and Abu Danladi

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