The most impactful participant in Saturday’s MLS Cup closing will not even be on the sphere at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Riqui Puig, the dynamic midfielder who retains the Galaxy’s assault going, limped by means of the crew’s coaching classes on crutches this week after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee within the Western Conference closing. And his absence from the Galaxy lineup will change the best way each groups method the sport.
For Galaxy coach Greg Vanney it means having to discover a substitute for the crew’s most irreplaceable participant. For the New York Red Bulls, Puig’s absence will have an effect on how they put together for the sport.
“He is an excellent participant, a elementary participant. But they’ve quite a lot of good gamers,” stated German-born coach Sandro Schwarz, who’s in his first yr with the Red Bulls. “They have received quite a lot of video games, particularly at residence, of their stadium. So it is a problem for us ”.
“This is my job,” he added. “Find the answer for Saturday.
On paper the matchup seems like a mismatch.
The Galaxy, who received simply eight video games a yr in the past and completed thirteenth in a 14-team convention, are 23-8-7, together with playoffs, this season and are convention champions for the primary time since 2014. They are chasing the their sixth MLS title and can play at residence, the place they’re unbeaten in 19 video games in all competitions.
The Red Bulls, an authentic MLS crew, are in search of their first title of their second championship match look. They went 11-9-14 through the common season, successful simply two of their final 14 video games and getting into the Eastern Conference playoffs because the seventh seed. But as soon as they bought there they went on a run, eliminating defending champion Columbus on penalties earlier than shutting out New York City and Orlando City to turn into the lowest-seeded crew to succeed in the MLS Cup closing .
Galaxy gamers rejoice on the rostrum after victory over the Seattle Sounders within the Western Conference closing on Nov. 30 clinched their place within the MLS Cup closing.
(Etienne Laurent/Associated Press)
“Maybe for lots of people exterior of this membership, it is the most important shock,” stated Schwarz, whose goalie Carlos Coronel performed a giant function within the playoffs, making 19 saves. “I’d additionally say we performed more often than not within the common season in an excellent place, superb high quality. When you begin the playoffs and get the outcomes, he undoubtedly does one thing with the crew to realize confidence.
“This is the ultimate, the MLS Cup closing. Now is the essential second and we should exhibit our high quality.”
If they win Saturday, the Red Bulls will be part of 2004 DC United, the 2006 Houston Dynamo and the 2009 Real Salt Lake crew as MLS champions with the fewest wins within the common season.
The Red Bulls prefer to press excessive, irritating opposing offenses and benefiting from turnovers or set items to attain.
“We have to search out our moments with the ball or in transition,” Schwarz stated.
The wide-open, possession-based Galaxy are the precise reverse. This season they turned the primary MLS crew to have 4 gamers rating in double figures with Puig, Dejan Joveljic, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec combining for 69 targets and 52 assists, together with playoffs. The Galaxy outscored opponents 16-3 within the playoffs, breaking the league report for many targets in 4 video games in a single postseason.
But all of this occurred with Puig because the offensive quarterback. Without him, Vanney is prone to contain his defenders extra within the passing sport, taking fewer dangers within the midfield.
“We need to redefine who we can be and the way we are going to win this sport with out somebody like Riqui on the pitch,” Vanney stated of his talisman, who set profession highs for targets (17) and assists (18). and led the league in passing this yr.
Marco Reus, who performed within the Champions League closing with Borussia Dortmund six months in the past, is the probably substitute, however has been slowed down by a groin harm. He returned to coaching on Wednesday, though his availability for Saturday may very well be a match-day choice.
Diego Fagundez can also be an possibility, however he hasn’t began or performed greater than 17 minutes in a sport since September 14. That leaves Mark Delgado as probably the most appropriate substitute, however he pales as an attacking midfielder in comparison with the opposite two.
