Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez is expected to wear a protective mask for the next six weeks, starting with Sunday’s game against Portland at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Martinez suffered a broken nose while scoring a goal last week at Columbus.
“When you score a goal, everything’s worth it,” he said.
The mask he wears during training is made of clear plastic. He said he is waiting on a different one that he wants to use in Sunday’s game. Atlanta United leads MLS with 33 points. The Timbers are unbeaten in their past eight games.
“It may have been lost on delivery,” he said of the mask.
This is the first time that Martinez has had to wear a protective mask. He said he will no longer wear the protective wrap he was using on his left hand, which still hurts. That injury occurred during training.
Martinez said the mask sometimes covers his eyes, making it harder to see the ball.
“Hopefully, it doesn’t affect me too much,” he said.
Martinez leads MLS with 14 goals this season. He is one of several Atlanta United players who rank among the leaders in votes received for this summer’s All-Star game against Juventus in Atlanta.
“My All-Star game is on Sunday,” he said. “I’m not concerned about the rest of it.”
In other injury news, Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino said that defender Chris McCann hasn’t recovered enough from his hamstring strain to be considered for the 18 for Sunday’s game. He was subbed off at halftime of 3-1 win against Philadelphia on June 2 and has missed the past two league games.
