Sounders confirm João Paulo tore his ACL in training mishap

RENTON — João Paulo has torn the same ACL that he previously tore in 2022, Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer confirmed on Saturday. The 34-year-old suffered the injury during Wednesday’s training session, going down in a non-contact situation.

“We are gutted for him,” Schmetzer said. “He was playing well the last couple of outings. He did exactly what we asked him to do. He gave us a measure of calmness, a little bit of tenacity. Being able to close out games with a player of his caliber certainly was helpful.”

João Paulo was apparently at the Longacres training facility on Saturday, but has not yet scheduled his surgery. The Sounders have not formally placed him on the season-ending injury list and Schmetzer said they were still assessing their options, but the typical recovery time for an injury like that is at least 6-9 months and can stretch even longer.

The Brazilian came to the Sounders in 2020 and was one of the top midfielder in MLS during his first few seasons. He was one of the team’s top performers in the Sounders’ 2022 Concacaf Champions League run, suffering his first ACL tear in the final. He returned in time for the 2023 season, logging nearly 3,000 minutes across all competitions while battling through hip pain. In 2024, he transitioned into more of a rotational player.

Out of contract, João Paulo agreed to return on a roughly 60% pay cut this year which included a team option for 2026. This leaves the Brazilian’s future very much up in the air.

“He’s a competitive guy,” Schmetzer said. “We certainly are going to have conversations on the side, what’s in the best interests of the club, and we’ll make those decisions when it’s appropriate.

“He’s been a great pro, great player for this club.”

Yeimar returns to full training

In more positive injury news, Yeimar Gomez Andrade made it through his first full day of training since suffering a hamstring injury in late May and then straining his calf a couple of weeks later. Yeimar likely won’t be available against the Columbus Crew on Sunday but might make it back in time for the Sporting KC match on July 12.

“He was very happy,” Schmetzer said, noting that Yeimar’s timeline has sped up somewhat from the last update. “We’ll re-assess because he’s going to be pushed tomorrow, he’s going to have a heavy session. If he can clear some hurdles, they might clear him a little earlier.”

Jordan Morris available to start

After a couple of appearances off the bench, Schmetzer declared that Jordan Morris is now “100% ready to go.” Morris has been limited to less than 600 minutes across all competitions this year.

No more grass

The Sounders confirmed that the grass has been removed from Lumen Field. With the 2 PM kickoff, that means players will likely need to contend with a slower surface, as the ball tends to stick a bit more when the sun is out.