Johnny's Injury

Midfielder's World Cup Summer is Suddenly in Serious Jeopardy

The 24-year-old American midfielder came off the bench for the final 33 minutes of Atletico Madrid's 1-0 Champions League semifinal second-leg defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday, with the Gunners advancing 2-1 on aggregate. Cardoso was tidy in his brief appearance, completing all ten of his pass attempts and winning two of three ground duels, though his side couldn't overcome Bukayo Saka's first-half finish.

Two days later, however, the news turned grim. Atletico announced that Cardoso had suffered a high-grade sprain of his right ankle during Thursday's training session, and the club confirmed he would begin physiotherapy and gym rehabilitation, with his return timeline dependent on how the injury progresses. He is expected to be sidelined for roughly five weeks.

The timing is particularly cruel. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino must submit a preliminary World Cup roster by May 11, with the final 26-man squad due no later than June 1. The U.S. opens the tournament on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles.

Cardoso will likely make the preliminary list, but whether he recovers in time to earn a spot in the final squad remains very much uncertain.

Richards and Palace Headed to a European Final

 Defender to Miss the Start of World Cup Camp For a Final

The 26-year-old American center back has been a key contributor throughout Palace's remarkable run in the UEFA Conference League, Europe's third-tier club competition. Richards played an especially influential role in the first leg of the semifinal against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, where his long throw-in from the left side led directly to a Daichi Kamada goal, helping Palace build a commanding 3-1 advantage heading into the second leg at Selhurst Park.

Palace closed things out Thursday, defeating Shakhtar 2-1 on the night for a 5-2 aggregate victory. Ismaila Sarr, who had also scored within the opening minute of the first leg, the earliest goal in Conference League history, netted the decisive second-leg goal, steering home a Tyrick Mitchell cross to put the tie to bed.

Crystal Palace will now face Spain's Rayo Vallecano in the final on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany, with the winner earning automatic entry into next season's Europa League. It will be the club's first-ever European final. For Richards, the achievement comes with a complication—the final falls on the same day U.S. Men's National Team World Cup preparations officially begin.