Laurent Ciman didn't sleep on the December night he learned he had been dealt from the Montreal Impact to the expansion Los Angeles Football Club. Neither did his wife, Diana.
The trade, Ciman's agent told a Montreal radio station the next day, "was a real kick in the teeth. Laurent and Diana were shocked."
The reaction had nothing to do with the team or Ciman's career. This was about family — specifically Ciman's 8-year-old daughter Nina, who is autistic.
The trade took the Cimans away from the specialized care Nina requires, and provided a reminder about how the Belgian star came to MLS in the first place.