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After training on Tuesday, April 25, New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch provided an update on the fitness of several players.
Tyler Adams and Bradley Wright-Phillips both were seen to take knocks during the team's last game - against Columbus Crew on April 22 - with the latter eventually subbed out due to Marsch's concerns about exacerbating what looked like a possible hamstring strain. A couple of days rest appears to have been all that was required: both players were in training on Tuesday and Marsch told reporters they were both "fine".
Cross them off the list of injury concerns, along with Gonzalo Veron, who is "ready to go" in his head coach's estimation.
That leaves just two players on the RBNY injury list: Sal Zizzo and Mike Grella.
Well, two players that we are aware of: Zizzo's injury was a pre-game announcement on April 22, continuing the Red Bulls' newfound enthusiasm for saving a lineup surprise for game-day. So no surprise if there is another surprise announcement about an hour before kick-off against Chicago Fire on April 29.
There is little choice, however, but to play along with the official line that there are just two players in the squad dealing with fitness issues. The Red Bulls are about to head into a three-game week: Chicago on April 29, Sporting Kansas City on May 3, and Philadelphia Union on May 6. With the latter two games on the road, that stretch will put pressure on the squad, and Marsch is already planning ahead, at least with regard to Zizzo:
He should be training soon. It's sort of a day-to-day thing. There's certain days where he's made a lot of progress and others where it's a little slower. But I think he's on the fast-track, and we're hopeful that he can be available for the weekend and then hopefully start on Wednesday - that's the goal.
Wednesday, May 3, is RBNY's away game against Sporting Kansas City: the team Zizzo played for before joining RBNY. So one potential rotation of the squad for that mid-week match is revealed - Zizzo might step in at right back for Connor Lade, if he can get back to full fitness in the next week.
As for Mike Grella: "We're hopeful that if everything went well today that Mike enters training tomorrow," Marsch told reporters, effectively penciling in Grella's return from injury for Wednesday, April 26.