Toronto FC: Sebastian Giovinco to miss 3 weeks with another injury

Toronto FC superstar Sebastian Giovinco will be sidelined for five games with another injury, after suffering a quadriceps strain at the weekend.

Sebastian Giovinco has repeatedly been in the wars since joining Toronto FC. It comes with the territory of being a marked man, especially when you’re widely regarded as the best player in MLS.

However, this season has been particularly rough for TFC’s superstar, who has already missed time with a bruised heel. Now, he is set for another absence, after leaving Saturday’s win over Minnesota United FC just before the half with thigh tightness.

As reported by the Toronto Sun‘s Kurt Larson, Giovinco’s injury has since been confirmed as a quadriceps strain. As a result, he is now expected to be out for the next three weeks.

In one respect, this is a blow for Toronto FC, who have been on a roll recently with a team-record six consecutive victories. However, this roster is the deepest in franchise victory and they have already proved they are capable of winning without the 30-year old.

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Of course, winning the odd game without Giovinco is one thing, but there is no way of knowing at this stage how much a long-term absence could impact the team. In that respect we will now get some indication, as he will likely miss the next five fixtures, although two of them are Canadian Championship games.

Assuming the prognosis on the Atomic Ant is fairly accurate, his absence should not extend any further. After June 3, TFC have a two-week break before playing again.

Long-term, of more concern for the Reds, is if Giovinco is beginning to wear down as a result of the continuing physical punishment from opponents? During his first season in Toronto, he only missed one regular season game.

The following season, this number grew to six. This year, the Turin, Italy native has already missed three games and looks likely to match his absence total from 2016 before the halfway point of the current campaign.

Hopefully for Toronto FC, any concerns will ultimately prove to be of no consequence. However, it will be interesting to watch Giovinco’s progress throughout the remainder of the 2017 season.

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In other injury news, Larson reports that Nick Hagglund will miss up to three months with a torn MCL. Obviously this is a tough blow for the young defender.

However, it is actually not as bad as initially feared, with concerns that Hagglund had torn his ACL. If this had been the case, he would have been ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Next: Vanney's astute tactics helped TFC to record win

How concerned are you about this latest injury to Giovinco? Are you worried he is starting to break down, or are you confident he will be okay in the long run? Further, how does Hagglund’s absence impacy the team? Share your thoughts in the comments section.