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Nigel de Jong handed only three-match suspension for tackle on Darlington Nagbe
MLS has banned the Galaxy's Nigel de Jong three games for his tackle on Portland's Darlington Nagbe. The league's Disciplinary Committee handed down the suspension after reviewing video of the incident.
"While de Jong received a yellow card during the match, the Disciplinary Committee was unanimous that the action was a clear and unequivocal red card and the play was of an egregious and reckless nature that the Committee must act to protect player safety," the league said in a statement.
The tackle came in the 73rd minute of the Galaxy's match against the Timbers on Sunday. De Jong put his studs through Nagbe's ankle, leaving the Portland midfielder on the ground. Nagbe left the stadium unable to put weight on it. The reports since indicate that Nagbe avoided major injury but will miss more than a month. The Timbers have confirmed that he is out for this weekend's match, though he returned to training Friday.
Many had called for de Jong to be suspended for five matches, if not longer. Part of that is because of de Jong's history. While this is his first year in MLS and his first bad tackle in the league, he has a reputation for terrible tackles from his play in Europe. That the tackle was on Nagbe, who is a talented, skillful American and is the most-fouled player in the league, didn't help.
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena vehemently disagreed with the league and the public outcry following the tackle. Arena blamed the response on de Jong's reputation.
"If that was any other player in that tackle, it would not have received the hysteria that it has," Arena told the Galaxy's official website. "I think it was a mistimed tackle by Nigel. A bad tackle on that play is going to the ground and going over the ball with excessive force. That was not the case on that play."
De Jong may have gotten just three matches this time around, but odds are that if he has another bad tackle — and history indicates he will — then the suspension will be even longer.
With de Jong out, the Galaxy will have a tough time through the midfield. He has been phenomenal in the early going and they need to be especially strong in the center of the park because Robbie Keane is already out after undergoing knee surgery.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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