Inter Miami are set to visit Colorado Rapids this Saturday for Matchday 8 of Major League Soccer, and they will have to do so without two of their regular starters. David Ayala and Sergio Reguilon will not be part of the squad due to physical issues.
“Training in the rain… Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul available for the trip to Colorado. David Ayala and Sergio Reguilon will not travel due to injury,” reported Jose Armando on Friday via his official X account.
Sergio Reguilon has been a frequent presence in Inter Miami’s injury updates this year. Brought in to fill the void left by Jordi Alba following his retirement, the Real Madrid academy product has managed to play just three matches this season, none of them in full.
A knee injury in the opening moments of the first preseason friendly sidelined Reguilon for several weeks. Upon his return, he featured in only two matches before a muscle injury forced him out again. Then, after just 45 minutes of action last Saturday against New York Red Bulls, he once again had to be substituted at halftime.
Ayala’s situation has not been much better. The young Argentine midfielder arrived to take over Sergio Busquets’ role, but so far he has not lived up to expectations, making just four appearances out of a possible nine. Personal issues and injuries have affected his performances, causing him to lose ground in the competition for a spot in the lineup.
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Who could replace Reguilon and Ayala?
Looking ahead to Saturday’s match against Colorado Rapids, interim coach Guillermo Hoyos will need to find solutions to cope with the absences of Sergio Reguilon and David Ayala and ensure the team performs at its best despite the setbacks.
Hoyos’ preferences remain unclear for now, as this will be his first match in charge following Javier Mascherano’s departure. Under the previous manager, whenever Ayala was unavailable, Yannick Bright typically stepped into the midfield, making him the most likely option for Saturday’s MLS match.
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As for Reguilon’s potential replacement, Noah Allen appears to be the most natural fit, as he is the only other left-footed full-back in the squad. However, Gonzalo Lujan and Ian Fray have also filled that role on occasion, giving Hoyos several options to choose from.
