Absences aplenty as Minnesota United looks to end slow start
Minnesota United midfielder Julian Gressel will be sidelined for months after having surgery on his right big toe on Monday. The 32-year-old German American is expected to be out until after the FIFA World Cup break, which ends in late July.
Gressel joined Minnesota from Inter Miami via waivers last May and has played 53 minutes in three substitute performances in the Loons’ opening five games this season. He registered a goal and three assists in 1,086 minutes in 2025.
“9 years into my career without an injury act kept me out,” Gressel wrote on Instagram. “The big toe finally got me …”
Gressel isn’t the only MNUFC player out.
Captain center back Michael Boxall (adductor) and Peter Stroud (quad) will miss Saturday night’s match at L.A. Galaxy . It will be the fourth straight absence for Boxall and third for Stroud.
“Continuing to make progress, but slow progress,” head coach Cameron Knowles said of Boxall on Tuesday.
Midfielder James Rodriguez returned from international duty with Colombia on Monday but did not train on Tuesday due to illness, the club said. The attacker played 63 minutes against Croatia on Thursday and 63 more versus France on Sunday.
Nectar Triantis (Greece) is expected to return to Minnesota on Wednesday, with Bongi Hlongwane ( South Africa ) and Carlos Harvey ( Panama ) coming back Thursday. South Africa and Panama played each other in Cape Town on Tuesday.
MNUFC (1-2-2, 5 points) will travel to Carson, Calif., on Friday to play Galaxy (1-2-2, 5 points) at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park.
