Report: New York Red Bulls will have to do without Ronald Zubar for a while

Hours after Once A Metro’s Josh Hargnett issued a plea for the return of a fit and healthy Ronald Zubar to the New York Red Bulls starting lineup, RBNY provided a response: not happening any time soon.

Per Big Apple Soccer’s Kristian Dyer, Jesse Marsch has stated Zubar was sent to Germany for hernia surgery: “We think it’s a two-to-three week issue,” the RBNY head coach said.

The news adds context to last week’s announcement that the Red Bulls had dipped into their reserve team for defensive cover. With Zubar out, Aaron Long is an important addition to the squad, especially for the team’s upcoming three-game week (matches on 9/24, 9/27, and 10/1).

Marsch’s estimated recovery time suggests Zubar might be back in time for RBNY’s last two games of regular season, and should certainly be back before the playoffs begin. The decision to send the player for surgery was well timed: RBNY has no games to play from October 1 to 16, allowing a reasonable recovery period for Zubar, as well as any other teammates who could use a break (Aurelien Collin was excused from training on Wednesday, reports BAS, to get some rest).

So the Red Bulls perhaps only have the upcoming MLS-CCL-MLS trio of games to get through before the team has its full complement of starting-caliber French center backs available once again.