Burrito Martinez suspended for tackle on Nagbe in Portland draw

Real Salt Lake will be without yet another player when they take on Sporting Kansas City on April 2: Burrito Martinez, one of the attacking standouts in the first five matches the team has played across all competitions.

Salt Lake Tribune reporter Chris Kamrani said today that Cassar told reporters about the suspension.

Martinez was shown a yellow card for his challenge on Portland midfielder Darlington Nagbe, but the severity of the tackle certainly prompted the impending suspension. After that tackle, Nagbe hobbled off the pitch, and there were initial concerns about a reasonably severe injury. However, he was examined after the match, where he was found to be fine. He did miss one day of training, but it was for the U.S. Men's National Team.

Although this doesn't make that match a three-red-card game, it does underscore a larger issue the team is experiencing right now. Three suspensions after one match — none of which were for yellow card accumulation (that would be its own special sort of issue) — does not speak well of the team's discipline.