Playmaker Victor Vazquez to travel to Mexico with Toronto FC despite sore back

TORONTO — Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez, dealing with a back issue, skipped training Saturday but will travel with Toronto FC to Mexico.

The MLS champions leave Sunday via charter for Monterrey, the site of Tuesday’s second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against Tigres. Toronto won Wednesday’s first leg 2-1 on the strength of Jonathan Osorio’s 89th-minute goal at BMO Field.

“Victor is day-to-day. We”ll see how he feels,” Toronto coach Greg Vanney said after TFC practised indoors Saturday. “It’s some back tightness that leading to some nerve (issues) so we’re just trying to loosen him up. He’s feeling marginally better. It’s how much can we gain over the next couple of days to try and get him ready.

“We weren’t going to throw him out there today and have him train lose any progress that we’ve been able to make. We got some work on him (Saturday) morning and we’ll see how he progresses (Sunday) but he’s going to go (to Mexico) and hopefully he’ll be ready to give us some (playing) time.