Javier “Chicharito" Hernandez will miss the next 2-5 weeks due to a hamstring injury, the LA Galaxy striker revealed on a Twitch stream.
Ahead of LA's much-anticipated season-opener against LAFC (since postponed to July 4 due to inclement weather), the Mexican legend suffered a relapse of a hamstring injury that's hampered him throughout preseason and caused him to miss the Galaxy's final two tune-up friendlies.
Chicharito started the Galaxy’s preseason match vs. Portland Timbers at the Coachella Valley Invitational on Feb. 12, but was substituted just three minutes in.
“That's when he initially started to feel the symptoms,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said at training last week. “Last week we held him out because it was a hamstring irritation, more or less – there wasn't any sign of something significant. As he worked back into training, he started to still feel a little bit off. And so again, just trying to review back where maybe something is or if something new [happened].”
Chicharito has finished as LA's top scorer the past two seasons, scoring 35 goals and adding five assists in 53 matches. With the 34-year-old sidelined, they're expected to rely on super-sub Dejan Joveljić at striker.
The Galaxy kick off their 2023 campaign when visiting FC Dallas on Saturday (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
