Galaxy midfielder will be sidelined for about a month because of sprained knee ligament
The Galaxy will be without Jermaine Jones for the rest of the month and maybe longer after an MRI exam revealed that the national team midfielder suffered a Grade II sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee late in the first half of last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire.
Jones injured the same knee last year and was sidelined for 3 1/2 months. A team spokesman said that Jones, 35, is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks this time.
The latest injury, however, is similar to the one suffered by Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, who was sidelined for six weeks.
Even under the best-case scenario Jones would sit out at least four games for the Galaxy and probably won’t be called up for the national team’s World Cup qualifiers June 8 against Trinidad & Tobago and June 11 against Mexico.
Jones will join midfielder Sebastian Lletget and defender Robbie Rogers on the sidelines for the struggling Galaxy, who are 2-5-2 overall and winless in their last four games.
Lletget, who played three games for the Galaxy before suffering a fracture to his left foot while playing for the national team in March, probably won’t play again until August. Rogers, who hasn’t played this season, is expected to be placed on the season-ending injury list after being plagued by nerve problems following an operation on his left ankle in December.
Eight Galaxy starters have sat out at least one game because of injury.
Jones was injured in the 38th minute Saturday when Chicago’s Joao Meira’s poor clearance struck him in the head, causing him to fall awkwardly. He was subbed out five minutes later.
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