It looks like the Seattle Sounders will need to wait a little longer before showcasing their ideal starting XI. Despite Nicolas Lodeiro’s return to full fitness — he missed the Sounders’ four pre-pandemic matches of 2020 — it was revealed that João Paulo will likely be unavailable for the MLS is Back opener against the San Jose Earthquakes after suffering a quad injury during training in Washington.
Although the exact timing and extent of the injury are not yet known, it likely occurred some time between the Sounders’ 75-minute scrimmage on June 22 (in which he played) and their 80-minute scrimmage on June 26 (in which he did not play).