Portland Timbers without Dairon Asprilla for start of 2023 MLS season after surgery
By Chris Smith
The Portland Timbers have announced forward Dairon Asprilla will miss the start of the 2023 MLS season after undergoing surgery on his right knee.
Asprilla underwent a successful arthroscopic debridement surgery of his right knee in order reduce pain, with the procedure successfully carried out by Dr. Rich Edelson in Portland.
The club estimates the 30-year-old's recovery period to last between four to six weeks, meaning he could miss the first five games of the new MLS campaign.
Portland Timbers' first 5 2023 MLS fixtures:
- Sporting Kansas City (h)
- LAFC (a)
- St. Louis CITY SC (h)
- Atlanta United (a)
- LA Galaxy (h)
Asprilla is entering his ninth season with the Timbers and will be a big miss for Giovanni Savarese having hit 33 goals and 16 assists in 186 appearances across all competitions, helping the club win MLS Cup in 2015.
In his absence, the Timbers will rely upon the likes of new record signing Evander, and fellow Colombians Santiago Moreno and Yimmi Chara to provide attacking firepower.
The Timbers open the 2023 campaign at home to Sporting Kansas City on February 25 as they seek to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs after missing out for the first time since 2016 last year.