Saturday, July 19 | 7:30 p.m. PT | Presented by Strauss
π | BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA - Gates open at 6 p.m.
π₯ | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
π» | 710 AM ESPN, ESPN LA App, and KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera
π | Calendar sync
πͺ | Fan Fest held at Christmas Tree Lane on the north side of BMO Stadium from 3:30-7 p.m.
π | LAFC HQ open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. via exterior entrance and 6-9 p.m. via interior entrance.
πΉ | Level Up Arcade open pre-game from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and for 90 minutes after the final whistle.
LAFC welcomes its southern California rivals to BMO Stadium Saturday night for the 26th installment of the contentious metropolitan derby known as El TrΓ‘fico. The series between LAFC and the Galaxy, whose stadiums are separated by a 12-mile stretch of freeway, has been inarguably the leagueβs most exciting since they first squared off eight years ago.
One of MLSβ founding clubs, the Galaxy began play in 1996. Since the Black & Goldβs inaugural MLS season in 2018 these two sides have met 25 times across all competitions, with the older club holding a slim 10W-9L-6D edge, including LAFCβs 2W-0L-0D advantage in MLS Cup Playoff matches.
Competitiveness, star power, and thin margins have been this derbyβs hallmarks. The Galaxy have scored 54 total goals in the series to LAFCβs 53 goals. Only nine of their 25 meetings have been decided by more than one goal. Sixteen have been one-goal decisions or draws.
BLACK & GOLD REPORT
LAFC enters Saturday nightβs match on a run of 13 straight league games in which it has suffered just one defeat (7W-1L-5D). The Black & Gold currently stands in fourth place in the Western Conference with an overall record of 10W-5L-5D (35 pts.) and three straight wins in MLS play, including a 1-0 victory in Minnesota on Wednesday night. But form is often irrelevant when LAFC and the Galaxy meet.
βThese derbies are different,β head coach Steve Cherundolo said. βYou have to not think of streaks in these games. You have to just prepare for the unexpected. Every time we play each other there's always exciting moments, and I expect more of the same on Saturday at BMO. We'll be ready for it.β
Cherundolo, who announced three months ago that he will step down at the completion of the 2025 MLS season, has a record of 6W-5L-1D against the Galaxy since he arrived at LAFC in 2022, including two three-game winning streaks. In the derbyβs history the Galaxy have never won three consecutive matches. LAFC was the only MLS team to defeat the Galaxy twice last year in the Gs' 2024 MLS Cup title season.
TALE OF THE TABLE
LAFC is currently in ninth place in the 30-team race for the Supportersβ Shield (given to the MLS club with the best regular-season record). LAFC has at least two games in hand on the three teams currently above it in the Western Conference standings (San Diego, Vancouver, and Minnesota). LAFC and Inter Miami have played the fewest games in MLS (20)β at least two fewer than every other team in the league.
DENIS THE MANY [GOALS]
Three-time All-Star Denis Bouanga leads the Black & Gold in goals (11) and assists (seven) in MLS play this season. Bouanga scored his 11th MLS goal of the year and his 85th for LAFC in all competitions on Wednesday night, placing him just eight goals shy of Carlos Vela for the most in club history (93).
The French-born winger has scored eight goals in eight matches against the Galaxy across all competitions and has scored in each of their last five meetings. His next goal against the Galaxy will move him into a tie with former Galaxy striker Zlatan IbrahimoviΔ for second place on the derbyβs all-time goal scorers list. Only Vela has scored more goals in this series (12).
IN OUR DEFENSE
Wednesday nightβs 1-0 victory over Minnesota was LAFCβs second road win of the year in MLS play and its first ever at the Loonsβ home pitch, Allianz Field.
Playing without captain and starting center back Aaron Long, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury July 12 against Dallas, the Black & Gold inserted Nkosi Tafari into the starting eleven in Longβs place, and shifted its shape from a 4-3-3 to a five-back setup, with Eddie Segura and Sergi Palencia on either side of Tafari, and Ryan Hollingshead and Artem Smoliakov running the touchlines as wingbacks.
Over 90 minutes, LAFCβs determined defensive effort yielded just three shots on target to one the leagueβs most dangerous attacks. Each was handled comfortably by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who wore the captainβs armband and recorded his eighth clean sheet in league play in 2025.
GLIMPSE OF THE GALAXY
After losing 2-1 at home to Austin on Wednesday night, the Galaxy sit in 15th place in the West (3W-14L-6D, 15 pts.). The Carson-based club continues to struggle following its MLS Cup championship season, due in large part to the absence of midfield playmaker Riqui Puig, the clubβs 2023 and 2024 Player of the Year and a 2024 MLS Best XI selection. Puig (17 goals, 19 assists across all competitions in β24) injured his knee in last seasonβs playoffs, and although he recently returned to limited training he is not expected to play in the near future.
Puigβs team has showed signs of progress in his absence. Prior to the Austin defeat, the Galaxy had dropped just one of their previous six matches, going 3W-1L-2D in that span. Following their 2-2 draw with LAFC on May 18, the Galaxy went 3W-4L-2D over their next nine outings, gathering 11 of the 15 total points theyβve earned this season.
Midfielder and German legend Marco Reus has assumed the facilitator role in the Galaxy attack and leads the team in goals (five) and assists (seven). Reus scored twice against LAFC when the teams drew 2-2 in Carson on May 18.
GALAXY CAN WIN IF
They gain an early 1-0 lead the way they did in Carson in May. LAFC has won just one league game this season in which it conceded the first goal.
Reus scored in transition just six minutes into the May 18 match before LAFC settled in and scored twice to carry a 2-1 lead into the closing minutes. A late Reus free kick crept past Lloris to provide the final 2-2 score line, contributing to LAFCβs 1W-5L-4D record when conceding the first goal in MLS play.
LAFC CAN WIN IF
Its attack creates chances against a side that ranks last in MLS in goals allowed (45 in 23 games), 27th in goal differential (minus-20), and has yet to win an MLS road game in 2025.
Goalie John McCarthy (formerly of LAFC) started against the Black & Gold on May 18, but Novak MiΔoviΔ has been in goal every game since, going 3W-4L-2D in that span while conceding 12 goals in nine matches.
