New England Revolution didn’t start the 2020 MLS season as they would like, managing a draw against the Chicago fire and losing to Montreal Impact in the first two games. Things might be better moving forward, however, as they will finally have their key player Carles Gil ready to play.
Gil, who missed the preseason and the start of the 2020 MLS campaign with a foot injury, had his first full practice this week and is optimistic about returning to action as soon as Sunday.
“I feel good. This is only the third practice that I’ve had with the team, but I feel good coming off the injury,” Gil told reporters on Tuesday. “We’ll take it day by day, little by little, and see how everything goes when the game gets closer.”
Gil joined New England in early 2019 and immediately established himself as one of the team’s most important pieces. He played 34 games last season and contributed with 10 goals and 14 assists while winning the MLS Newcomer of the Year award.
Considering Gil’s contribution last year, it isn’t surprising that Revolutions’ head coach Bruce Arena acknowledged the Spanish midfielder’s absence played a part in their slow start in 2020,
“He was certainly a key player with our team last year, and we’ve missed not having him,” said Arena. “We missed him in the preseason and up until today, so it’s great to have him back and hopefully he can keep making progress.”
Gil came to the United States after a respectable career in Europe, where he played with Valencia, Aston Villa, and Deportivo La Coruna. He was also part of Spain’s U21 team.
