Cecilio Domínguez's Mysterious Suspension Overshadows Winning Austin FC Form

Cecilio Domínguez (Courtesy of Austin FC)

It's always a nice scene down on the Q2 Stadium pitch following an Austin FC win. Just about everyone with a field-level pass trots onto the playing surface to congratulate and mingle with the players, many of whom quickly downshift into dad mode as young sons and daughters come storming out from the stands. There was plenty to celebrate after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Minnesota United Sunday night, but one of the Verde's biggest stars was noticeably absent from the merriment.

Cecilio Domínguez, the club's joint top all-time goalscorer and first-ever designated player, was placed on indefinite suspension by Major League Soccer last Friday, April 8, "pending an MLS investigation into possible off-field misconduct." As of Wednesday, the league had yet to offer any details whatsoever regarding what sort of possible misconduct Domínguez is being investigated for, and Austin FC has remained equally tight-lipped. When asked about Domínguez's situation following Sunday's match, coach Josh Wolff said, "For us, it's not even something that we discuss." The lack of clarification has naturally prompted all manner of speculation from a concerned Austin FC fan base.

The timing of the announcement only added to the eyebrow-raising nature of the situation. Domínguez had just days earlier returned from a trip to his native Paraguay, where he filed paperwork necessary to obtain his U.S. green card, according to Wolff. On Monday, Domínguez's agent, Diego Serrati, said during an interview on Paraguayan radio station ABC Cardinal that he believes the suspension stems from a "misunderstanding" over the green card and predicted that "in the next few days ... the sanction will be lifted because it will be shown that it was a mistake."

Even as agent speak goes, that seems like a mighty optimistic resolution for such a sudden and serious punishment. (Domínguez does have a previous association with the sort of behavior that "off-field misconduct" more frequently brings to mind; in 2016, his ex-partner accused him of domestic violence, which Domínguez vigorously denied, and her lawsuit was later dropped.) As it stands, Domínguez is currently barred from all Austin FC activities, meaning he cannot even train with the club. Should the suspension persist long-term, the Oaks will have to make do in attack without one of their most dynamic players, who seemed to be settling into an early season groove after an up-and-down 2021 campaign. Veteran offseason addition Ethan Finlay appears destined for the lion's share of Dominguez's minutes on the wing, while either or both of Rodney Redes and Jared Stroud are likely to contribute much more off the bench, and potentially with the odd starting role. Redes has struggled mightily to adjust to his surroundings in MLS since joining countryman Domínguez as one of the club's first two signings.

Wolff and company will try to keep Domínguez's situation from distracting from the club's preparation for a Saturday evening affair against D.C. United in the nation's capital. It will be the Verde's first match in the Eastern time zone and the beginning of a busy stretch of three matches in eight days, which includes the club's first-ever contest in the U.S. Open Cup Wednesday, April 20. The domestic cup tournament features teams from up and down the U.S. Soccer pyramid of leagues, and as such, El Tree is scheduled to take on USL Championship side San Antonio FC at Toyota Field, just 80 miles down I-35 in what might be the shortest road trip Austin FC ever makes.