Union’s Ian Glavinovich says he has suffered a torn meniscus
Although the team hasn't confirmed it yet, Glavinovich said he played through the injury in Saturday's game against Orlando, and is headed for surgery.
Union centerback Ian Glavinovich said Sunday on his Instagram account that he suffered a torn meniscus in his knee in Saturday’s game against Orlando City.
“It seems like I’m lying, but I tore the meniscus on this play,” Glavinovich wrote in his native Spanish, with the text accompanying video of the moment. “And I played 85 more minutes with pain. Now to have surgery and come back better!”
The team has not yet confirmed the diagnosis, so we don’t know what the severity is or how long Glavinovich could be out for. That can be a wide range.
Ian Glavinovich appears to have suffered a meniscus tear. "May seem like a lie, but I tore my meniscus during this play and played for 85 minutes with lots of pain. Now it's time for surgery and to return even better than before." #doop #MLS #NewellsOldBoys
— José Roberto Nuñez (@josernunez91.bsky.social) April 6, 2025 at 5:21 PM
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Nor was there any sign during the scoreless tie with Orlando that he was hurt.
Glavinovich played the entire contest, registering eight clearances, seven defensive recoveries, two tackles, and two interceptions. The 23-year-old won nine of the 12 duels he contested, completed 43 of 49 passes, and even pitched in two shots.
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Centerback was already the Union’s weakest position, and Glavinovich’s absence will make things even worse. Jakob Glesnes and Olwethu Makhanya are the only starting-caliber players on the depth chart now. While 17-year-old Neil Pierre is a big-time prospect, he isn’t ready for the first team yet.
The Union’s next game is Saturday, a visit to New York City FC at Citi Field. The schedule beyond that isn’t overwhelming, with no midweek games until a U.S. Open Cup contest on May 6 or 7. But there are some major opponents on deck before the end of May: Atlanta United home and away, and home games against the reigning champion Los Angeles Galaxy and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.