In the 22nd minute of the LAFC’s first game of the season against Austin FC, Carlos Vela was accidentally substituted.
In an action in the rival area, Danny Musovski filtered a ball for the Mexican forward. The pass was very strong and Vela could no longer connect with the ball. In his attempt to reach the ball, Vela fell into a trap, so he asked the bank for help. The Los Angeles coach, Bob Bradley, he misinterpreted the character that Vela was making and chose to remove him from the game.
‘I accelerated, it could be my fault. I’m not sure. (Vela) made a sign to us first and I thought he had asked for his change, ”explained Bob Bradley on the FS1 broadcast a few minutes after the incident.
A puzzled Carlos Vela was willing to return to the field after medical attention, but Bradley had already made his substitution for Kwadwo Opoku.
It was featured on the television broadcast, as Bob Bradley apologizes to Vela, as the Los Angeles captain walked through the tech room to the locker room.
In the debut game, LAFC is without Diego Rossi due to a last-minute muscle discomfort and without Vela due to misunderstandings.