Carles Gil will not play when the New England Revolution opens its season against the Montreal Impact at Olympic Stadium on Saturday (3 pm ET | TVAS in Canada, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US).
The star attacker has been nursing a foot injury, and while head coach Bruce Arena said on Thursday that while Gil's condition is improving, he won't be ready in time for the opener.
"Carles is doing well. He trained in our indoor facility and we expect him out on the [practice] field this week," Arena said, before adding: "I don't expect him to play in the first game."
That means the Revs will be starting their season off without one of their most important pieces. Gil makes up one half of one of the league's most lethal attacking duos along with fellow Designated Player Gustavo Bou, as the pair formed almost instant chemistry after Bou joined the club partway through last season.
Gil started all 34 games for the Revs in 2019, stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 10 goals and 14 assists and helping New England's second-half surge into the playoffs after Arena took over for Brad Friedel.
