Herrera’s worrying remarks: Will Ospina ever suit up for Atlante?
Although he has been officially unveiled by Atlante, keeper Ospina is suffering from an injury that could scupper his future at the Liga MX club.
Atlante returns to the international stage on Tuesday, when it opens up its 2026 Leagues Cup campaign by visiting MLS Cup runner-up Vancouver Whitecaps. However, it is not all good news for Los Potros, as head coach Miguel Herrera has cast doubt over the signing of Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.
Despite being officially unveiled by the Liga MX club, Ospina may never make his debut for the Azulgranas.
Injury leaves Ospina in the balance
Speaking at Monday’s pre-match press conference in Vancouver, Herrera shed light on the situation surrounding the veteran keeper, who has yet to fully recover from an elbow injury. Owing to the issue, his future with the club remains uncertain.
“David has an problem with his arm that has made us question whether he will actually become an Atlante player,” Herrera said. “He arrived highly motivated and with an incredibly positive attitude. He came in ready to train and was officially presented, but unfortunately during this process he suffered another setback with his elbow.
“He underwent surgery quite some time ago, and it has continued to trouble him in recent weeks and even before the World Cup. He decided to stop and be evaluated by the doctor who performed the operation, so he went back to receive treatment.”
David Ospina se resintió de su problema de codo y podría terminar anticipadamente su carrera. La información la dio el técnico del Atlante, Miguel Herrera pic.twitter.com/yNZQ2elZxE
— Mauricio Gonzalez Arteaga (@MauricioGPF) August 4, 2026
“We don’t walk away from competitions”
After more than 15 years, Atlante will once again compete in an official tournament outside of Mexico. Herrera insists that while the club’s priorities may lie elsewhere in its first season back in the Mexican top flight, it has no intention of treating the Leagues Cup as an afterthought.
“To be honest, we’ve said it since the tournament began: we have priorities, but we don’t walk away from competitions,” he explained. “We’ve brought the strongest squad available and we’ll try to put together a performance that earns us points and keeps us in the fight to advance.
“We do have priorities in terms of our planning and the way we’re approaching this year, especially with the club’s return to the top division. But we’re also excited to play an international match, to compete in an international tournament, to showcase what this team can do, and to earn the points that can help us qualify.”
Vancouver vs Atlante: kickoff times, how to watch in the U.S.
On matchday one of Leagues Cup phase one, the Whitecaps and Atlante meet today, Tuesday, August 4, with kickoff scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. You can watch the game on the subscription streaming service Apple TV.
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