By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
TAMPA — FC Tampa Bay starting goalkeeper Daryl Sattler tore the ACL in his right knee and is out for the rest of the season.
Sattler was injured during a collision in the 10th minute against Atlanta on Saturday.
Arguably Tampa Bay's most valuable player, Sattler started all four games this season, winning North American Soccer League defender of the week in Week 3. He had two shutouts and allowed two goals.
Sattler said he'll have surgery within a week. He wouldn't rule out a return this season, but the likelihood he'll be available in 2011 appears unlikely.
"I want to try to be positive, and hopefully when the time comes around, I'm an option to be a backup," he said. " … I would say it's probably a season-ending injury. That's hard to swallow and take in."
Former Countryside High and USF standout Jeff Attinella entered for Tampa Bay in the 1-1 draw against Atlanta and allowed one goal while making three saves in his professional debut. Clearwater's Attinella will make his first pro start against Carolina on Saturday at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg.
"I was actually talking to people about how I thought the way Daryl was playing that I might get my opportunity next year because I thought Daryl would be in the MLS truthfully the way he started the season," Attinella said. " … I was here just in case something did happen to Daryl. It's not the way I wanted to get it, but I'm definitely excited to have the opportunity to kind of hop in goal for the team and see what I can do at the professional level."
Coach Ricky Hill said the team will sign another goaltender to back up Attinella.
Champions League: Barcelona in final
BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona outclassed rival Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final.
Pedro Rodriguez scored off a through pass from Andres Iniesta in the 54th minute and Barcelona earned a 1-1 tie to win the semifinal on 3-1 aggregate.
Seeking its fourth Champions League title and third in six years, Barcelona plays Manchester United or Schalke on May 28 at Wembley Stadium in London.
It marked the fourth match between the rivals in 18 days, which included Madrid's win in the Copa del Rey final.
"The last 20 days have been really hard, a lot of tension," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said, adding that Madrid was "probably the best team in the world apart from my team, maybe."
Racism inquiry: French soccer authorities are looking into claims that national coach Laurent Blanc and other coaches secretly agreed on a quota restricting the number of black and Arab players in training programs. The aim was to limit to 30 percent the number of players of African and North African descent in training academies once they reached age 13, investigative website Mediapart said last week. Blanc insists such a move was never discussed.
Information from Times wires was used in this report.