The Colorado Rapids are scheduled to take to the field Wednesday night, returning to action for the first time since a COVID-19 outbreak postponed two games and halted momentum from the team’s two-game win streak.
Though the outbreak mostly affected staff members and not players (10 staff, four players), it has had a heavy impact on the club. It not only meant rescheduling two games, but also limiting the team to just three full-squad practices in the last 14 days. The immediate self-quarantining meant it was a struggle for some players to even kick a ball.
“Being unable to train for a week at this time of the year is certainly inconvenient,” Rapids head coach Robin Fraser said. “If there was any group that I had to go through this with and had to deal with adversity and count on the strength of the overall team, it’s this one.”
The Rapids’ first test won’t be an easy one with reigning Supporters Shield winners LAFC coming to Commerce City. The good news for Colorado is its unexpected break allowed Younes Namli, Diego Rubio and Nicolas Benezet to get healthy. None of the three forwards started in Colorado’s last game — a 5-0 win over San Jose — on Sept. 24.
Still, it’s unknown which players tested positive for the virus, and who may still need to get cleared.
The Rapids say their preparation for their game against the black and gold has not been impacted. But they have the smallest coaching staff in the league and some members were symptomatic, meaning Colorado’s sideline may look desolate.
The two clubs the Rapids have players on-loan to — the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Memphis 901 — each had their seasons come to an end. Players could come back to Denver for training or perhaps to even play with 10 games schedule over 32 days.
“There are always physical concerns when you put bodies under that sort of load,” Fraser said. “In terms of their development, it’s probably the best thing in the world that could happen to a group of young players.”
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