Dec 5, 2024; Carson, California, USA; New York Red Bulls defender Andres Reyes (4) during media availabilities ahead of MLS Cup 2024 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The New York Red Bulls’ decision to trade defender Andres Reyes to expansion side San Diego FC had nothing to do with his late scratch before the 2024 MLS Cup Final on Dec. 7, a source told amNewYork on Wednesday.
New York sent Reyes to San Diego for $750,000 in general allocation money, a separate source confirming first reports from Tom Bogert of Thet Athletic.
The 25-year-old Colombian was an important part of the Red Bulls’ backline and appeared in 23 matches this MLS season. He scored the lone goal in the Eastern Conference Final against Orlando City, a 47th-minute header that quickly became one of the most important goals in franchise history. It lifted the Red Bulls to their second-ever Eastern Conference title and MLS Cup Final appearance.
Just moments before kick-off on Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy, though, Reyes was deemed a late scratch due to what the team described as an illness. This forced head coach Sandro Schwarz to turn to 22-year-old Swedish center-back Noah Eile, who was directly involved in conceding each of the Galaxy’s two goals in the game’s opening 13 minutes. New York lost the game 2-1 as their first-ever MLS championship continues to elude them.
Speculation has arisen recently that Reyes’ absence was not due to an illness, though Schwarz maintained that was exactly the case during Tuesday’s end-of-season availability.
“We were also very surprised,” Schwarz said. “When he came in after our warm-up in our locker room, he said he felt sick, and it was not possible for him to play… We only had three, four, five minutes time to make a decision. We tried everything; the whole medical team tried everything, but it was not possible.”
Less than 24 hours after Schwarz’s…
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