CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy today activated central defender Leonardo from the club’s Disabled List, meaning that he is eligible to play for the club starting with Saturday’s SuperClasico against Chivas USA (10:30 pm ET/7:30 pm PT, ESPN2, LIVE CHAT on lagalaxy.com/gamedaylive). Now in his third season with the Galaxy, Leonardo returned to training last month and played 45 minutes of the club’s Reserve League game against San Jose last week. The 24-year-old Sao Paulo native signed a permanent deal with the Galaxy in February after spending the last two seasons with the club on loan.
WATCH: Leonardo on Reserve League play
READ: Year after injury, Leonardo suits up for Galaxy reserves
Leonardo has appeared and started 17 games for the Galaxy since joining the club ahead of the start of the 2010 season. LA have kept seven clean sheets in those games while compiling a 7-5-5 record and allowing just over a goal per game. He started each of LA’s first seven games of 2011, helping the club go 3-1-3 and keep three clean sheets while even scoring the first goal of his MLS career in the 1-0 home win over Philadelphia on April 2. However, late in the club’s 2-1 win in Chicago on April 17, Leonardo suffered a severe right knee injury which forced him to undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
In a separate roster move, the Galaxy placed fellow defender Andrew Boyens on the Disabled List in order to recover from a sports hernia. Boyens, who has made two regular season appearances for LA this season, will undergo surgery next week and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. He last saw action for the club in a Reserve League game against San Jose on May 8, playing 45 minutes in central defense after replacing Leonardo at halftime of that game. As a result of being placed on the Disabled List, Boyens will need to miss a minimum of six regular season games, starting with Saturday’s game with Chivas USA. He will be eligible to return to action for the club on Saturday, June 30 at San Jose, though he can play in U.S. Open Cup and MLS Reserve League games before then.
Following Saturday’s SuperClasico, in which the Galaxy are the away side, they will return to action on Wednesday, May 23 when they host the San Jose Earthquakes. That game, which is presented by Farmers Insurance, will be Armed Forces Appreciation Night at The Home Depot Center and kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. For more information about these games or to purchase tickets to any Galaxy home game, please visit lagalaxy.com/tickets.
