None of the three Italian star players with Toronto FC were at training on Thursday.
The club released a statement saying that winger Lorenzo Insigne, who scored two goals in a 4-3 loss to CF Montreal on Sunday, is dealing with a personal family situation and was not at training. Countryman Domenico Criscito stayed back to support Lorenzo and his family. Out of respect for the Insigne family, the club offered no further comment. The Reds play at Atlanta United on Saturday night.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Ottawa SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
Countryman Federico Bernardeschi, who also scored on Saturday, was also not on the field training on Thursday. There is no word on what his situation is. All three Italians trained on Wednesday. Also not training on Thursday was veteran midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who has not played since Aug. 20 because of an undeclared illness.
The Reds sit five points out of an MLS playoff spot with four games remaining and three teams to leap over to make it over the post-season line. Atlanta will be without star striker Josef Martinez for one game on Sunday as he was suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team, a major break for TFC.