Major League Soccer

Josef Martínez was separated from Atlanta United by Heinze and the fans shouted for the return of the Venezuelan striker.

By Juan Angel Aiesi

Atlanta United's technical director did not reveal the reasons for his decision, but the Venezuelan striker's presence in Saturday's match against the New England Revolution is a question mark.

Atlanta United's technical director did not reveal the reasons for his decision, but the Venezuelan striker's presence in Saturday's match against the New England Revolution is a question mark.

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The Venezuelan player, Josef Martinez, seems to continue going through a complicated moment after the injury that kept him out of all activity during 2020. Although he managed to recover and return with Atlanta United, his level has not been the best to the extent that Gabriel Heinze has not contemplated him with the team.

 

Josef, who was one of the main players of the team's first crown, returned for this 2021 with Atlanta, but so far he has not been able to take off having only two goals so far in the tournament.Due to this and according to information from The Athletic, Heinze does not have the striker in the following matches, to the extent of separating him from training with the rest of his teammates.

 

 

"He does not have any kind of fitness problem. It is my decision that he should train away from the team. He will continue training on his own,". Gabriel Heinze did not give further explanations of the measure he took, although he did reveal that he communicated his decision to Josef Martínez, who has not played for the Cinco Bandas team in the current Major League Soccer season since May 29 in the 2-2 draw against Nashville.

 

 

 

Josef Martinez is Atlanta United's mainstay. However, when he suffered a painful hamstring injury that sidelined him from MLS at the beginning of the season, the club's fans thought the worst due to the severity of the injury. It was the first match of the nascent campaign between the Georgia side and Nasville SC, when the Venezuelan tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at Nissan Stadium, saying goodbye prematurely.
 

 

However, this Tuesday the striker posted a video on his official Instagram account that surely filled with emotion all Atlanta and MLS fans. However, the fans seem to be unhappy with Heinze's decision to remove one of the most important players in the short history of the franchise. That is why, at minute 7' of the first half, they joined in from the stands to chant Josef Martínez's name and generate noise as rarely heard in this sporting venue.

 


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