Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday to relieve a chronic adductor injury. The 26-year-old midfielder aggravated the injury on April 17 against the Colorado Rapids at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, requiring Wednesday's surgery.
"The best option for Peter this season and for his career is to have the surgery now," said Los Angeles Galaxy president and general manager Doug Hamilton. "We are confident that he will return to top form as we continue to prepare for our championship run."
Doctor William Myers will perform the adductor release surgery on Vagenas at the Drexel University Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A member of all three Galaxy teams to win a major championship including the 2002 MLS Cup Champions, Vagenas is then expected to begin physical therapy, with no timetable set for his return.
"Peter's groin injury has been a long-term, chronic injury that, at this stage of the season and his career, he really needed to resolve," said Galaxy head coach Sigi Schmid. "Having surgery now will allow him to return to us healthy much sooner and will allow him to play without constant irritation and pain. We look forward to his return; he is a very valuable member of our team who is instrumental both on and off the field."
Prior to aggravating the injury against the Rapids, Vagenas had played in the Galaxy's first two matches of the 2004 season, a 3-2 defeat of the New England Revolution on April 3 and a 1-1 tie with D.C. United on April 10, both at The Home Depot Center in Carson. The 5-11, 160 pound midfielder, a native of Pasadena, California has been with the Galaxy since the club drafted him out of UCLA in the 2nd round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft.
The Los Angeles Galaxy are pleased to announce that their next home game, on Saturday, May 29 vs. Dallas at 7 pm will be the next chance this season for fans to purchase a Los Angeles Times Galaxy Family Pack. For as a little as $52, a family of four gets four match tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and a Los Angeles Times newspaper. To take advantage of this exciting offer, please call the Galaxy ticket office at 1-877-3GALAXY.
