MLS

Major League Soccer announced Saturday it will investigate a video posted by L.A. Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget that featured him using an anti-gay slur while speaking Spanish.

Cyd Zeigler and Dawn Ennis of OutSports reported the video, which was posted Friday on Instagram and later deleted, included Lletget calling Galaxy teammate Julian Araujo "puto."

Lletget, 28, issued a statement of apology to OutSports:

"I messed up. Earlier today, I posted a video that included me using a derogatory slur in Spanish.

"I have taken down a video from my Instagram story but want to address its impact and not hide from this. I take full responsibility and ownership on what was an extremely poor and ill-thought phrase and have no excuse for my actions. I am sorry and know the pain that this term has caused for so many.

"I want to be part of the solution—not part of the problem—and continue to be an advocate and an ally for the LGBTQ+ community. Those who know me know my character and heart. I will remain outspoken in my support and advocacy. My error doesn't change that.

"Thanks for your accountability. I need to do and be better."

The Galaxy also released a statement about the situation to OutSports: "The L.A. Galaxy do not condone homophobic or derogatory language of any kind. The club stands with the LGBTQ+ community and will address this matter internally."

Lletget, a member of the United States men's national team, most recently played for L.A. in Wednesday's 2-2 preseason draw with the Colorado Rapids. He scored a goal in the contest.

The Galaxy wrap up their exhibition slate Saturday night against Real Salt Lake before opening the 2021 MLS regular season April 18 on the road against Inter Miami.

Lletget has been with the club since 2015.

CF Montreal announced manager Thierry Henry stepped down Thursday, citing family reasons.

Henry, a former standout striker at Arsenal and Barcelona, released a statement through the MLS club:

"It is with a heavy heart that I've decided to take this decision. The last year has been an extremely difficult one for me personally. Due to the worldwide pandemic, I was unable to see my children. Unfortunately due to the ongoing restrictions and the fact that we will have to relocate to the U.S. again for several months will be no different. The separation is too much of a strain for me and my kids. Therefore, it is with much sadness that I must take the decision to return to London and leave CF Montreal."

Henry took over at Montreal in November 2019. He guided the club to nine wins, four draws and 16 losses across all competitions.

Club sporting director Olivier Renard also commented about the manager's sudden exit:

"Thierry's departure is unfortunate and premature because this was very promising, but he informed me of his desire to be back with his family because the situation was and remains very difficult for both him and his family. I want to thank him, first on a human level because he led the players by example last year by being away from his family, but also from a sporting level and for what we have built together since his arrival. We wanted to elevate this club and we are on the right track. The process of finding a new head coach is already underway and I will be looking for someone who is aligned with the philosophy we have implemented."

Montreal finished ninth in the 14-team Eastern Conference standings during the 2020 season and was eliminated by the New England Revolution in the play-in round of the playoffs. It reached the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League before getting knocked out by Honduran side CD Olimpia.

The club didn't immediately name an interim replacement, with the 2021 campaign scheduled to kick off in April.

Henry previously served as manager of Ligue 1 club Monaco in his native France from October 2018 through January 2019. The four-month stint produced a lackluster 4-5-11 record before he was let go.

The 43-year-old enjoyed a decorated playing career, winning two Premier League titles at Arsenal, two La Liga championships at Barcelona and a World Cup title with the French national team.

Osceola County, Florida deputy sheriffs have arrested and charged Orlando City SC defender Jonathan Suarez-Cortes and his brother, Rafael Saurez, with sexual battery. 

Per Katie Rice and Davis Harris of the Orlando Sentinel, the two brothers are accused of raping a woman in their Kissimmee, Florida apartment.

Per Rice and Harris, the affidavit said a woman was drinking for about two hours with Suarez-Cortes and his brother at TopGolf on Sunday. The woman and a friend went with the brothers to their apartment where they played beer pong.

According to the affidavit, at the apartment, the woman said she began having consensual sex with Rafael Suarez in his room before he let his brother into the room. Per Rice and Harris, Suarez-Cortes "said that he wanted 'in on the fun,' the affidavit said. The woman told them both 'no,' but Suarez-Cortes forced her to perform a sex act on him, even after she tried to pull away, and told his brother to resume having sex with her, the affidavit said."

Per Rice and Harris, the woman left the apartment with a friend, "who she later confided in Monday and who encouraged her to contact law enforcement."

The brothers appeared in court Wednesday, and a judge set the bond for each man at $20,000.

MLS announced that it has suspended Suarez-Cortes pending investigations from the league and Osceola County Sheriff's Office.

Orlando City SC also released a statement:

"Orlando City SC became aware that defender Jonathan Suárez was arrested in Osceola County. The Club takes these allegations very seriously and is currently gathering more information. No further comment will be provided by the Club until additional investigation of the alleged incident is complete."

Suarez-Cortes, 24, is on loan from Queretaro FC of Liga MX. The Anaheim native arrived at Orlando this month.

Players for the three Major League Soccer teams based in Texas have joined relief efforts in the Lone Star State following a massive winter storm this week. 

Per an official release from MLSSoccer.com, members of Austin FC, FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo have established three different relief funds this week. 

Players for Austin FC set up a GoFundMe page with a $25,000 goal and issued a statement: 

"Many people in the city don't have electricity, gas, water, or food right now. And they need help. Go Fund Me was the best and quickest way for us to help. We're coming from all over the world and we've just met each other. Despite this, we all had the same feeling and urge to help. Even though our group is new to Austin, we have been embraced by the community since our arrival. 

"Experiencing this winter storm and seeing the amount of people that needed aid, we wanted to find a way to best help. Community is a core value to our group and we strive to help those that have welcomed us to our new home."

The Dynamo launched their fundraiser in conjunction with the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League, with proceeds going to Kids Meals Houston and The Houston Food Bank. 

FC Dallas midfielder Tanner Tessmann set up a GoFundMe page in partnership with the club. The page has a goal of $10,000. 

Per William Mansell, Marilyn Heck, Jon Haworth and Emily Shapiro of ABC News, parts of Texas received nine inches of snow and other were covered by freezing rain and ice. Millions of residents were left without power for multiple days when power generators in the state failed because of freezing temperatures. 

Travis Caldwell, Keith Allen and Eric Levenson of CNN reported the outage totals have dropped from 3 million on Wednesday to fewer than 450,000 on Thursday afternoon. 

The L.A. Galaxy announced Tuesday they've signed 15-year-old midfielder Alex Alcala to their second team roster.  

"Alex is a young talent who we are pleased will develop in a professional environment," general manager Dennis te Kloese said. "We believe that the structure and resources that we will provide him will allow him to continue to grow as both a player and a person. We look forward to Alex representing our club."

Alcala is a California native who's represented Mexico at the youth international level as a dual citizen. He joined the L.A. Galaxy Academy in 2020.

The attacking midfielder previously gained experience training with Manchester City in England and Barcelona in Spain, two of the top clubs in Europe. He also spent time with Pachuca in Mexico.

"I'm super excited to announce that I've officially signed with the Galaxy2!!" Alcala wrote on Instagram. "I would like to thank everyone that has helped me along the way to reach my goals. All my family, friends and coaches. Special thanks to everyone at [Stockton] TLJ for letting me thrive and succeed along these past years there."

LA Galaxy II plays in the USL Championship, which is scheduled to begin its season in May. Alcala will join the club for preseason training that's already underway.

ESPN's Adriana Garcia reported it's possible the teenage phenom also earns some opportunities with the Galaxy's first team during the 2021 season.

The signing represents Alcala's first professional contract. 

The start of the 2021 Major League Soccer season has been pushed back two weeks, commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday (h/t Brian Sciaretta of American Soccer Now). 

The season, which was originally slated to start April 3, will begin April 17.

Regular season schedules have yet to be announced. 

An ESPN report said the move comes in the wake of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that the league and the MLS Players Association ratified two days ago. The agreement will remain in place through the completion of the 2027 season.

This is the second time that the league's start date has been pushed back. Originally, MLS was slated to begin in mid-March but the league delayed the season to accommodate the beginning of the CONCACAF Champions League in April.

While schedules will be announced "in the coming weeks," according to an MLS statement, certain dates on the league calendar are expected to remain the same. 

According to the report, all 27 teams will play 34 games each. The MLS Cup playoffs are slated to begin Nov. 19, with the final scheduled for Dec. 11. Training camp begins Feb. 22. 

Major League Soccer and the Major League Soccer Players Association have avoided a potential lockout after the two sides reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. 

The MLS said in a statement the agreed-upon CBA will run from 2021-27, pending approval from the board of governors and MLSPA membership:

Per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, the MLS executive board and bargaining committee voted 24-11 to approve the new CBA, and it could be sent to the players' union for a full vote Saturday. 

Carlisle noted if it receives final approval from the board of governors, training camps could open as soon as Feb. 22, and the regular season could begin on April 3. 

As negotiations between the two sides had been ongoing, the league had to extend the deadline to reach a new deal twice in the past week to avoid terminating the previous CBA. 

If a deal hadn't been agreed to by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, the players would have been locked out and the 2021 season would have been in jeopardy. The MLS announced in December it was invoking the force majeure clause in the CBA because of the financial impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Some key points of the new CBA, according to Carlisle, include no cuts to player salaries in 2021 and players 24 years of age and with four years of service would qualify for better free-agency terms in 2026 and 2027. 

All players will receive a 10 percent salary increase in 2027, as well as "improved salaries for players classified as senior minimum."

The 2020 MLS season began as scheduled on Feb. 29, but play was suspended on March 12 because of the pandemic. Play resumed in July with the "MLS is Back" tournament that ran through Aug. 11. 

The regular season was completed on Nov. 8, followed by a three-week postseason. The Columbus Crew won their second MLS Cup title with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Dec. 12. 

Austin FC continued to lay the groundwork for their inaugural season in MLS, selecting Virginia Tech midfielder Daniel Pereira with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 SuperDraft.

Coach Josh Wolff has already put together the spine of his squad through the expansion draft and free agency. With five draft picks—and three in the first round—Wolff had an opportunity to further augment the roster with young up-and-coming talent.

Here's a look at how the SuperDraft unfolded.

First Round

• 1. Austin FC: Daniel Pereira, midfielder, Virginia Tech
• 2. FC Cincinnati: Calvin Harris, forward, Wake Forest 
• 3. Colorado Rapids: Philip Mayaka, midfielder, Clemson
• 4. D.C. United: Kimarni Smith, forward Clemson
• 5. D.C. United: Michael DeShields, defender, Wake Forest
• 6. Houston Dynamo FC: Ethan Bartlow, defender, Washington 
• 7. Real Salt Lake: Bret Halsey, defender, Virginia
• 8. Orlando City SC: Derek Dodson, forward, Georgetown
• 9. Vancouver Whitecaps FC: David Egbo, forward, Akron
• 10. Inter Miami CF: Josh Penn, forward, Indiana
• 11. Austin FC: Freddy Kleemann, defender, Washington
• 12. San Jose Earthquakes: Thomas Williamson, forward, California
• 13. New York Red Bulls: Luther Archimede, forward, Syracuse 
• 14. Los Angeles FC: Daniel Trejo, forward, California State, Northridge
• 15. FC Dallas: Nicky Hernandez, midfielder, SMU
• 16. Los Angeles Galaxy: Josh Drack, forward, Denver
• 17. Minnesota United FC: Justin McMaster, forward, Wake Forest
• 18. Minnesota United FC: Nabilai Kibunguchy, defender, California, Davis
• 19. Orlando City SC: Rio Hope-Gund, defender, Georgetown
• 20. Nashville SC: Irakoze Donasiyano, forward, Virginia
• 21. Austin FC: Aedan Stanley, defender, Duke
• 22. Orlando City SC: Brandon Hackenberg, defender, Penn State
• 23. Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Javain Brown, defender, South Florida
• 24. New England Revolution: Edward Kizza, forward, Pittsburgh
• 25. Toronto FC: Matt Di Rosa, midfielder, Maryland
• 26. Inter Miami CF: Aime Mabika, defender, Kentucky
• 27. Columbus Crew SC: Justin Malou, defender, Clemson

Full results available at MLSSoccer.com

Fans didn't have to wait long to see the first surprise of the SuperDraft.

On Wednesday, Matthew Doyle of MLSSoccer.com ranked Clemson's Philip Mayaka as the No. 1 central midfielder and wrote, "He's the most obvious No. 1 overall pick since Cyle Larin in 2015, or maybe even all the way back to Steve Zakuani in 2009."

Wolff and sporting director Claudio Reyna apparently didn't get the memo.

Even Pereira was taken aback somewhat.

"I wasn't really expecting to be No. 1 because of all the mock drafts," he said, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. "It's an honor. I'm really happy. My family is crying. It's a moment I'll never forget."

Pereira spent two years at Virginia Tech, collecting six goals and six assists in 26 appearances. Those numbers don't truly reflect his contributions because he doesn't need to be a high-volume scorer or playmaker to make an impact.

Mayaka, meanwhile, was off the board at No. 3 to the Colorado Rapids.

Colorado moved up from No. 6 as the SuperDraft was getting underway, and SBI Soccer's Ives Galarcep reported Pereira seemed to be the Rapids' target. Getting Mayaka is a solid consolation prize.

Mayaka's teammate, Kimarni Smith, immediately followed at No. 4 to D.C. United. Smith's eight goals were the most in Division I for the abbreviated 2020 fall season, and he had 13 goals across 21 appearances in 2019.

He should help D.C., which tied for the fourth-fewest goals (25) in MLS last season.

FC Cincinnati were at the bottom of the list, mustering 12 goals in 23 matches. The 2020 campaign was nothing short of a disaster in Southwest Ohio as the team went 4-15-4.

Given how badly coach Jaap Stam needed to address the attack, Wake Forest's Calvin Harris was the obvious choice at No. 2. Harris totaled 25 goals and 10 assists in his two years with the Demon Deacons.

Despite moving back a few spots, Houston made out pretty well by getting arguably the best defender in the 2021 class: Washington's Ethan Bartlow.

In his mock SuperDraft on Tuesday, MLSSoccer.com's Travis Clark projected Bartlow to wind up with the Dynamo at No. 3: "A late addition to the Generation adidas class. Bartlow may not have the same upside as the first two players picked but his floor is likely a solid MLS starter, as he excels at defending and is good enough on the ball that he has the ability to carve out a long career in the league."

In general, the SuperDraft isn't how the top talent arrives in MLS. The most promising Americans bypass the college route altogether, and clubs have found a lot of success targeting designated players away from Europe's traditional top five leagues.

Still, fans can count on many of the incoming rookies to stick around in MLS for a long time.

The Major League Soccer SuperDraft has taken on less significance in the past few years with the growth of homegrown talent through the league's academies.

Despite the increased focus on developing players internally at most clubs, there have been some gems to come out of the collegiate ranks in recent years.

The 2020 draft class produced an eight-goal scorer in Daryl Dike and a few other first-team regulars, like Henry Kessler of the New England Revolution and Nashville SC's Alistair Johnston.

Clemson's Philip Mayaka and Wake Forest's Calvin Harris are the front-runners to be the first-ever draft pick of expansion side Austin FC.

Austin will lead off the 27-pick first round Thursday, and it will be followed by FC Cincinnati and the Houston Dynamo.

2021 MLS 1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Austin FC: Philip Mayaka, M, Clemson

2. FC Cincinnati: Calvin Harris, F, Wake Forest

3. Houston Dynamo: Daniel Pereira, M, Virginia Tech

4. D.C. United: Nabi Kibunguchy, D, UC Davis

5. Atlanta United: Ethan Bartlow, D, Washington

6. Colorado Rapids: Josh Bauer, D, New Hampshire

7. Real Salt Lake: David Egbo, F, Akron

8. Portland Timbers: Aime Mabika, D, Kentucky

9. Vancouver Whitecaps: Ed Kizza, F, Pittsburgh

10. Inter Miami: Bret Halsey, M/D, Virginia

11. Austin FC: Kimarni Smith, F, Clemson

12. San Jose Earthquakes: Josh Penn, M/F, Indiana

13. New York Red Bulls: Matt Di Rosa, D, Maryland

14. Los Angeles FC: Josh Drack, D, Denver

15. FC Dallas: Aeden Stanley, D, Duke

16. LA Galaxy: Louis Perez, M, UCF

17. New York City FC: Justin McMaster, M/F, Wake Forest

18. Toronto FC: Justin Malou, D, Clemson

19. Orlando City: Talen Maples, D, SMU 

20. Nashville SC: Logan Panchot, D, Stanford

21. Colorado Rapids: Derek Dodson, F, Georgetown

22. Orlando City: Danny Trejo, F, CSU-Northridge

23. Vancouver Whitecaps: Michael DeShields, D, Wake Forest

24. New England Revolution: C.C. Uche, D, Ohio State

25. Minnesota United: Colin Shutler, GK, Virginia

26. Inter Miami: Rio Hope-Gund, D, Georgetown

27. Columbus Crew: Avionne Flanagan, D, South Florida

Predictions

Philip Mayaka, M, Clemson

Mayaka is one of three underclassmen who fall under the Generation Adidas category.

Most of the top selections in the past decade have had the Generation Adidas designation. MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake, Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison and Cyle Larin, who is now at Besiktas, were among the recent No. 1 overall picks.

Mayaka, a native of Kenya, is viewed as a box-to-box midfielder and as one of the class' top contenders for immediate playing time at the professional level.

In his two years at Clemson, Mayaka earned a plethora of honors, including the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year and a second-team All America selection.

Austin FC started to build its midfield around experienced MLS players. The expansion side's most notable acquisitions were Alexander Ring from New York City FC and former New England player Diego Fagundez. Mayaka would add more depth, and the club would provide the player with a great opportunity to learn under Ring, who has been one of the best defensive midfielders in MLS over the past few years.

If Josh Wolff and the Austin coaching staff believe Mayaka can play right away, he could be a vital asset for the team during what is typically a congested league schedule.

To have success in MLS, most teams need to be two-deep at every position. Mayaka's selection would allow him to grow into a starting role while learning from Ring and others on how to mold his game to the MLS style of play.

Prediction: No. 1 overall to Austin FC.

Calvin Harris, F, Wake Forest

FC Cincinnati's forward group carries an interesting mix of experienced internationals and young guys looking for their break in MLS.

Although Harris would join a crowded offense, he would have the chance to make an impact for the third-year side.

Jurgen Locadia and Yuya Kubo top the depth chart as Designated Players, but none of the strikers made a lasting impact in front of goal in 2020.

Kubo was FC Cincinnati's top scorer last season, but he only managed to find the back of the net on three occasions. Harris recorded four goals and two assists in his sophomore season at Wake Forest. He produced six goals and two assists as a freshman.

Since there is some uncertainty about which forwards will step up in 2021, FC Cincinnati could grab the best attacking talent in the draft and let him compete for minutes.

Prediction: No. 2 overall to FC Cincinnati.

Statistics obtained from MLSSoccer.com. 

Major League Soccer is terminating the collective bargaining agreement to which it formally agreed with the MLS Players Association in June, according to ESPN's Austin Lindberg.

Lindberg reported the league is using its force majeure clause to invalidate the deal amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He also provided a comment from deputy commissioner Mark Abbott:

"Unfortunately, based on the assessment of public health officials, it is clear that the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions on attendance at sporting events will continue into the 2021 MLS season. We recognize the impact that the pandemic has had on our players and appreciate their efforts to restart and complete the 2020 season, but, like the other leagues in the United States and Canada, MLS needs to address the ongoing challenges caused by the pandemic and will engage in good-faith discussions with our players about ways to manage the significant economic issues we are facing."

Sports fans became aware of the force majeure clause as part of the wider conversation surrounding the pandemic's impact on American sports. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted the NBA's collective bargaining agreement included language to allow the league to act unilaterally under the provision.

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association ultimately amended the current CBA in November rather than ripping it up and starting anew.

Even with the loss in live gate revenue, the league still had massive media rights deals to provide an influx of cash. ESPN and Turner Sports pay roughly $2.66 billion annually to broadcast games.

Lindberg noted MLS's contracts with ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision total $90 million per season. As a result, the inability for clubs to fill stadiums is having a far bigger hit on the bottom line.

Commissioner Don Garber said earlier this month the league's loss of revenue was expected to be $1 billion. The Washington Post's Steven Goff reported that matchday revenue was down by 95 percent, with Garber calling the consequences of the overall situation "probably deeper than what we expected."

MLS already went through difficult negotiations with players in the spring. After initially agreeing to a new CBA in early February, the pandemic prevented the agreement from being ratified which allowed the league to reopen negotiations around the restart, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. A player who spoke to Carlisle said the process may have done "irreparable" damage.

"We were hoping that we'd be able to find a solution together to all these things and be consulted on certain things, have a dialogue about what return-to-play looks like," the player said. "And we just really didn't have it. It was just all kind of jammed down our throats. 'Accept or get locked out.'"

It's safe to assume MLS isn't terminating the CBA because it wants to make more concessions to the players, setting up what's likely to be a tense face-off.