Sporting Kansas City will be without their captain for at least one more week. According to The Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell, Matt Besler will miss Saturday's match against the New York Red Bulls as he continues to recover from a concussion he suffered during a recent stint with the U.S. Men's National Team.
Per Major League Soccer regulations, when a player is diagnosed with a concussion, he must pass the MLS concussion protocol before he can return to the field. Besler is more than half-way through the seven-step process, with the final step being a full return to training.
“As soon as I’m able to pass that, I’ll be available and hopefully be able to be back on the field,” Besler told The Kansas City Star.
Homegrown center back Kevin Ellis started for Besler last weekend alongside newcomer Nuno Andre Coelho.
Sporting KC will have a quick turnaround after this weekend's match with a midweek tilt against the Colorado Rapids next Wednesday. That match will also be the club's 20th Anniversary Night and will include a host of throwback promotions including the return of Dynamo the Dragon and limited-edition retro merchandise. For more information on the night, visit SportingKC.com/20years.
