Vela and LAFC set to face a Chicharito-less LA Galaxy in another edition of EL Trafico
Just over a month ago, MLS made a splash with the MLS is back Tournament in Orlando, Florida, and event the league made was very similar to a World Cup. It began with group stage matches, then graduating to knock out stages for all clubs. The winner of the tournament earned a ticket to the Concacaf Champions League for 2021. The last time LAFC met the LA Galaxy was in the group stage for the MLS tournament held in Orlando, and the result was a 6-2 debacle which LAFC dominated. These two teams will meet again at Banc of California Stadium, in what MLS is calling a restart to the regular season.
This upcoming matchup will feature Carlos Vela for LAFC as he looks to make his return after not participating in the MLS tournament. The Black and Gold looks to add hardware in 2020, and due to Covid-19, it’s been challenging to get on the field for sports teams. The Los Angeles Futbol Club will be with-out striker Adame Diomande. The team announced that his contract was terminated back on August 13th, 2020. However, this team is still loaded up top as they have Diego Rossi, Brian Rodriguez, and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Galaxy faces more challenges than just this match. They will not have Mexican superstar Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez for this game as he is still not training due to his injury. More critical, the team from Carson has to find some rhythm on offense as they have been lackadaisical in this department. They do have to star power on offense with Carlos Pavon, but health and a club identity are issues this team has to overcome. Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s men will look to debut Yony Gonzalez who recently arrived on loan from S.L. Benfica.
Both teams will deal with the current heatwave that is ransacking the Western part of the country. Also, the current new norm of no fans in attendance will be critical for LAFC as they draw on the energy from their fanbase, such as the 3252 supporters group. The cross-town rivals have similar obstacles to overcome. Yes, this heated rivalry has lost some of its lusters since Zatlan Ibrahimnovoch left, and in the early stages of this rivalry, Galaxy was dominant going 2-0-3. The last two matches have favored Bob Bradley’s team as they eliminated the Galaxy from the playoffs and thumped them in the MLS is back tournament. Regardless, these storylines will make for an intriguing match-up as both sides look to the restart of the season with a victory.
