Atlanta United dealt huge blow ahead of 2023 MLS Cup playoffs

Atlanta United will have to make do without star midfielder Thiago Almada for their best-of-three Eastern Conference playoffs clash with Columbus Crew.

Almada has been in excellent form in 2023 season, as his 11 goals and 19 assists propelled the Five Stripes back into the playoffs after missing out last year. His stellar play has seen him receive shouts for MLS MVP award, but FC Cincinnati's Lucho Acosta appears to have that all but wrapped up.

Atlanta head coach Gonzalo Pineda won't have his young playmaker available after he picked up a second yellow card in the early stages of the second half -- meaning he was sent off the field by referee Joe Dickerson.

While those may argue that the first yellow card may have been soft, there's no getting around the fact that the 22-year-old could've avoided getting sent off by not taking a swipe at Yerson Mosquera to be shown a second yellow. His first booking might've been deemed as necessary as he was trying to stop a Cincinnati counter, but the second instance was mind-boggling.

It's not like Almada is a player who's known for lunging in for a dirty challenge; He's been shown only 16 yellow cards in 163 career appearances. But for the first time in 11,722 career minutes, the 2022 World Cup winner was sent off.

Now, Pineda and the Five Stripes will travel to Lower.com Field to take on Columbus Crew on October 28 in the first game out of a best-of-three series without their best player before welcoming him back to the lineup for the second game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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