Cristian Lobato Out for the Season

News broke on Wednesday from The Blue Testament’s own Robert Rusert that Sporting Kansas City’s Cristian Lobato is out for the season. Bob reported that Peter Vermes indicated it’s due to “unresolved patellar tendinitis in both knees and a ‘deviation’ that is causing pain.”

Lobato isn’t a regular starter having only seven appearances in 2018 with just three starts. His last MLS regular season appearance was a start against Minnesota United on June 3rd where he scored a goal. He also played in the June 6th game against Real Salt Lake in the US Open Cup.

Lobato had two goals in just 327 minutes in 2018. Those minutes were spread out all over the field as Lobato has played left back, midfield and winger during this season. He scored in the blowout over a nine-man Vancouver Whitecaps on April 20th and in the blowout over Minnesota on June 3rd.

What is interesting about this injury is that the most recent Sporting KC injury report has Lobato listed as having two seperate knee injuries causing him to only miss 11 games. On the July 28th injury report he was completely removed but never made another appearance despite having return to practice.

TBT’s site manager, Thad Bell, had reported seeing Lobato in practice multiple times before he was put back on the injury report. First on July 31st and then again on August 24th.

This is the second time this season that Sporting KC have been on the verge of returning a player from knee injury only for them to then be ruled out for the season. In mid-August Jimmy Medranda was ruled out for the season as he underwent knee surgery.

Let’s hope it’s just two fluke situations and not the sign of a growing trend of undiagnosed injuries that are more serious than initially thought.