Philadelphia Union recently re-signed full-back Kai Wagner ahead of the 2024 MLS season, but the German is still serving a suspension for his actions during last year’s postseason.
As the 2023 season came closer and close to its conclusion, it seemed like Wagner was on his way out of Subaru Park and leaving the Union after five seasons with the Eastern Conference team.
Wagner hit free agency following Philadelphia’s MLS Cup playoffs exit to FC Cincinnati, but the club remained in talks with the 26-year-old in hopes of bringing him back – and that they did.
However, Wagner is set to miss the beginning of the regular season due to his actions in the first round of postseason action in late October against New England Revolution…
Wagner was handed a three-game suspension by MLS after he directed a racial slur at Revs forward Bobby Wood. The incident occurred in game one in a best-of-three series on October 28 of last year.
The suspension saw Wagner miss game two of the series, where Philadelphia won 1-0 on the road at Gillette Stadium to sweep the Revs and advance to the conference semifinals against FC Cincinnati. The Union fell 1-0 to Cincinnati without Wagner as he served his second game of the suspension in Philadelphia’s final game of 2023.
As the Union didn’t progress the conference final, Wagner’s suspension carried over to the beginning of the 2024 MLS season.
Because of this, Wagner is set to miss Philadelphia’s first game of the season against Chicago Fire on February 24 at Subaru Park. Wagner’s league debut is likely to come on March 2, when the Union square off with Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park.
The Union do have a few friendlies scheduled with fellow MLS sides Austin FC, New York City FC, Cincinnati and the Revs before their Concacaf Champions Cup first leg knockout clash against Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa. It’s currently unclear whether Wagner would be available for selection for the CCC clash, but it would make sense given that it’s an entirely different competition and Concacaf have not announced their own plans to ban him.
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