Galaxy could have been without Riqui Puig for the second season in a row, and the team confirmed on Friday that the midfielder will undergo a second operation on Saturday to repair the torn cruciate ligament that has forced him to miss all of 2025.
Puig, 26 years old, tore a ligament in my left knee in the 2024 MLS Western Conference Final with Seattle. A week later, the Galaxy won their sixth championship. But playing without Puig in 2025, the team stumbled worst season in franchise historywinning just seven games.
Puig, a product of Barcelona's famous La Masia youth academy, returned to training with the Galaxy in the fall. But Galaxy said his recovery had slowed since returning to Spain for the holidays. After consulting with the club's medical staff and outside specialists, Galaxy and Puig agreed to undergo a second operation.
The timing of Puig's return will only be determined after surgery, but losing him for a while will be another major blow for the team, as last year's performance proved that Puig is the most irreplaceable player in the Galaxy.
Puig had career highs in goals (13) and assists (15) in 2024, when he also led the league in touches and assists, helping the Galaxy set an MLS record with four players scoring 10 or more times. Without him, the team's possession-based attack suffered, scoring 23 fewer goals and only one player, striker Joseph Paintsil, reaching double figures.
Last season, the Galaxy did not place Puig on the end-of-season injured list, hoping he would one day return. If doctors decide he's unlikely to play this season, it's unlikely the team will make the same mistake since shelving Puig would open up a dedicated playing spot. Puig, who earned $5.78 million last season, is the eighth-highest contract in MLS and is signed through 2027.
Prior to the Puig news, the Galaxy had a productive offseason, acquiring former MLS Defender of the Year Jakob Glesnes in a trade with the Philadelphia Union and signing defenseman Justin Haack to a free agent contract.
