The Galaxy play at Toronto FC today but defender Abel Xavier did not make the trip. The former Portuguese national team member does not play games on artificial turf because he said it bothers his knee. ...Call it one of the cultural differences between soccer and other sports.
Xavier said when he played at Toronto last season, it was the first time a field had something other than natural grass in his 20-year career.
"Yeah, I was shocked," Xavier said. "The question is why does the league allow it? I started having problems with my knee in Toronto (last year)."
Xavier, who played with Liverpool, Everton, Roma and Middlesbrough among others, said artificial turf should be banned by the MLS.
"If the league wanted to challenge to be the best, the turf is a big restriction," he said. Read more here.
