FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza suffered a broken jaw during an altercation outside the bar

On By Vaseline

FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza suffered a broken jaw during an altercation outside a bar in the early hours of Monday morning, according to sources briefed on the situation. The team announced that Boupendza would undergo surgery on Thursday for a broken jaw due to an “off-field injury” and miss six to eight weeks.

Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the nature of the injury. Cincinnati was off Monday morning, sources added.

FC Cincinnati declined to comment further when reached The Athletics on Thursday. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The incident is the latest in a bumpy first year for Boupendza, and the club’s patience is running thin. Sources say even before the broken jaw, Cincinnati was ready to move on from the designated player this summer and look for a trade.

The forward was suspended by Cincy for “disciplinary reasons” and was also sent home by the Gabon national team in separate incidents last fall. This season, Boupendza has fallen out of form and was benched for the last two games, both of which Cincy won. He scored three goals in thirteen games in all competitions in 2024.

Boupendza arrived in Cincy last summer in a $7 million transfer from Saudi club Al-Shabab. He excelled on the pitch in his first half of the season, scoring the goal that clinched the Supporters’ Shield for Cincy in 2023.

The 27-year-old Boupendza has developed well during his professional career, having already played for eight clubs and the Bordeaux B team. The most games he has played for one club are 38 with Turkish side Hatayspor. He has been productive at most of those stops. He scored 46 goals in 79 games before this season and won the golden boot in the Turkish league for the 2020/21 season.

Cincy is second in the MLS Eastern Conference with 18 points after 10 games to start the 2024 season.

(Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images)