Jeff Attinella’s 2019 season has ended prematurely, as the Portland Timbers announced Monday that the veteran goalkeeper has successfully undergone surgery to repair an anterior labrum tear in his right shoulder.
The 30-year-old has been placed on the club’s Season-Ending Injury List and is expected to undergo rehabilitation with the Timbers sports medicine staff at Providence Park and at the Providence Sports Care Center.
Attinella, whose MLS career began in 2013 with Real Salt Lake as a back-up to Nick Rimando, was acquired by Portland in 2016 from then-expansion side Minnesota United. He was picked by the Loons from RSL and quickly traded to the Timbers.
Attinella has started 45 games across the last two-plus seasons, memorably guiding Portland to a berth in the 2018 MLS Cup final against Atlanta United. He was in and out of the lineup in 2019, with his last start coming June 26 against the Montreal Impact.
In Attinella’s absence, Steve Clark has assumed starting goalkeeper duties for Portland. The 33-year-old has four shutouts through 11 matches this year.
