Colorado Rapids reveal protected player list for MLS expansion draft and set to face LAFC in Champions Cup

The Colorado Rapids have announced their protected player list for the upcoming MLS expansion draft, which starts Wednesday. They automatically protected all Homegrown and Generation Adidas players, along with 12 selected players, leaving five vulnerable to San Diego FC. The Rapids will face LAFC in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup after qualifying for the tournament for the first time since 2022. The match is set to take place in February, with the winner advancing to face Columbus Crew. Recent matchups against LAFC have been challenging for the Rapids, who lost two games by a combined score of 7-0 in their last encounters. LAFC reached the final of the 2024 U.S. Open Cup but was eliminated in the MLS playoffs by the Seattle Sounders.