NOT HAMSTRUNG Angel injury nerve-related, LCL sprain will sideline Echeverry for four weeks
Juan Pablo Angel's problems are nerve-related in his lower back. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
By Dylan Butler
BigAppleSoccer.com Associate Editor
Montclair, N.J. -- It's likely that Juan Pablo Angel will be sidelined Sunday, but it's not because of a hamstring injury as the club had initially feared.
No, the star striker's problems are nerve-related in his lower back, it was revealed when Angel met with a specialist Thursday morning.
"There’s no tear of any sort. It’s just the swelling that’s occurred because he’s played for 17 years," Red Bulls head athletic trainer Rick Guter said. "Playing on turf, hard surfaces, it will sometimes flare up on you. Unfortunately it picked this time to do it. We feel pretty strongly that we’ll get this under control and we should be able to eliminate the problem for the future."
An MRI revealed Angel suffers from what is called Spondylosis, a degenerative condition that has ailed Eddie Pope, among others.
"Juan had that on one of the vertebrae on both sides," Guter said. "He saw a nerve specialist this morning and after looking at the MRI of that and we did an MRI of his hamstring this morning, which was completely clear, just to rule everything out."
Guter said Angel will receive a cortisone shot, which would likely sideline him for two additional days.
"Once you get the cortisone, you take that inflammation out," Guter said. "He’s such a physical specimen that once you can take the inflammation out, the muscles then take over and basically stabilize the area."
While Juan Carlos Osorio has all but ruled Angel out for Sunday's game against San Jose, he sounded optimistic about having him back for Thursday's match at Toronto.
"The sooner he gets back, the better for everybody," Osorio said. "I think it’s a great relief."
Osorio will also be without forward Oscar Echeverry, who will be sidelined for four weeks with a right LCL sprain suffered in training Tuesday.
Osorio hinted he'd likely start veteran John Wolyniec with Jozy Altidore Sunday, making rookie Chris Megaloudis as the top striking option off the bench.
"I think it will be a great chance for other players," Osorio said. "Chris Megaloudis might get a chance. Obviously John and Josmer probably have the upper hand, but I will not disregard what Chris can do for us. I think the little bit of playing time he has gotten for us he has done well."
