Phil Neville says the Portland Timbers are "in it to win it" against the Colorado Rapids, though he expects a tough test versus a Coach of the Year candidate in Chris Armas.
Portland sit eighth in the Western Conference standings, occupying a wild-card spot but sitting one point adrift of the Houston Dynamo in the final automatic playoff place.
They have taken four points from two games since the Leagues Cup break, drawing 4-4 with St. Louis City then beating their local rivals, the Seattle Sounders, 1-0 last time out.
Neville knows a visit to Colorado, who are four points and four places above them in the standings, will prove a tough assignment, but he has confidence in his side.
"We're coming up against a coach who is probably one of the Coach of the Year candidates in Chris Armas, he's done an incredible job," Neville said.
"The boys have trained well after having some rest, they've trained hard. Players have come back from international duty fit and well.
"We're looking forward towards one of the most pivotal periods in all of MLS. I think we're coming to probably the last 100 metres of the race, and as they say, we're in it to win it."
Colorado beat FC Dallas 3-2 on their return to league action last time out, having finished third in the Leagues Cup in August.
Head coach Armas said: "It's really good to be back after a few days off. The energy in the team is good, we're picking up where we left off after a really busy and successful August.
"We really have our sights set on this weekend, and then on what's ahead – and that's the playoffs.
"For sure we're looking forward to another home game and we're going to take it one step at a time."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Darren Yapi
Yapi scored Colorado's winner against Dallas last time out on August 31, and both of his career MLS goals have now come in the 90th minute or later.
He is one of three MLS players with multiple goals in 2024 with all of them coming in the 90th minute or later, alongside Miguel Berry and Julian Fernandez.
Portland Timbers – Evander
Evander has a goal contribution in eight straight MLS matches, the second-longest streak in the Timbers' history, behind Diego Valeri's nine straight in his MVP-winning 2017 season.
Evander's 27 goal contributions (12 goals, 15 assists) overall in 2024 are the second most in an MLS season for Portland (Valeri – 32 in 2017).
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Portland's win over Seattle featured their sixth clean sheet in their last 15 games in all competitions. Through their first 15 matches of 2024, Portland did not record a single shutout.
Colorado, meanwhile, have won their last two MLS games by a 3-2 scoreline, versus Real Salt Lake and Dallas. Only once previously have the Rapids netted at least three goals in three straight MLS matches, doing so in April 1998.
Portland have won three straight matches against Colorado in all competitions for the second time (also doing so in 2017-18). Neither team has recorded a four-match winning streak over the other in the 32-match history of the series, so a draw could be on the cards.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 40.2%
Portland Timbers – 33.2%
Draw – 26.6%
PSG taking new Champions League format in their stride, says Luis Enrique
Paris Saint-Germain begin their latest quest for Champions League glory next week, but the extra workload required in the competition this season will not change Luis Enrique's approach.
PSG face Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday, having made a perfect start to the season with three wins from three games to sit two points clear of Marseille, Nantes, Monaco and Lens.
They then face Girona in the first of eight matches in the Champions League's league phase on Wednesday, with the competition's new-look first round running until January.
However, Luis Enrique's approach to managing his squad's workload will remain the same.
He told reporters: "It's true, the schedule is a bit different but I don't think it is going to change the way I work as a coach.
"I have principles that I think are best for the team. It is always good to have around 20 players who think they can play, rather than 12 or 13. That is something that has always produced the best results for me.
"Now we are playing every three days with an intense schedule. I am still calm. Of course players can get injuries or suspensions but I am confident that we can manage all of that this season."
Midfielders Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery are unlikely to feature on Saturday after picking up injuries while representing Portugal and France during the international break.
PSG could also be without Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper became a father and Luis Enrique has yet to make a decision on the Italian's involvement.
Bradley Barcola has excelled for PSG this term, netting as many goals in their first three league games (four) as he managed in the entirety of 2023-24.
He was also on target for France versus Italy last week, but Luis Enrique is keen to avoid putting pressure on the 22-year-old, saying: "It would be easy to protect the players without journalists.
"Right now everyone is talking about Barcola. People said he couldn't play in the past, that he wasn't ready for the Champions League. But we're lucky that he is very sensible, humble and hard-working.
"In the season there are highs and lows for everyone and we have to manage that. The press always want something black or white, but that is not how it is."
Vinicius backed to return to best form by Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti is unconcerned about Vinicius Junior's current form and fully expects him to bounce back quickly as they prepare to face Real Sociedad.
Vinicius has scored once and registered one assist in LaLiga so far this season, while he has created 15 chances, the most of any of his team-mates.
However, he has been criticised for a slow start to the season with Madrid, and for lacklustre performances for Brazil in a narrow win over Ecuador and a shock loss to Paraguay during the international break.
Ancelotti acknowledged that Vinicius has yet to hit the heights of his previous seasons, but stressed that the player needs support.
"He's not at his best, but he's still very important for us," Ancelotti told a press conference on Friday.
"We're in no hurry because the team has managed to score, and he has been important... and the last concern for me is Vinicius' condition, but we have to take good care of him.
"He always works well, and it's a matter of just time for him to reach his best level. I can't fool myself into thinking that I'll have all players at 100% at all times.
"I don't want to go into his problems in Brazil, but what I see is a more general issue, because they are not managing to bring out their best version as a group.
"Here we are delighted with Vinicius because although he is not at his best right now, no one can forget that with Vini, we have been able to win two Champions League titles... We have to be very fond of him at Madrid."
Ancelotti said that he will have to evaluate the fitness of Vinicius and his Brazil team-mates Rodrygo and Endrick after a long trip back from international duty, in order to minimise the risks of injury as his side gear up for a busy schedule with seven games in the next three weeks.
The Italian will face a selection headache ahead of Saturday's clash at La Real with defender David Alaba and midfielders Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos and Aurelien Tchouameni still recovering from injuries.
"With the way the calendar is built, we will have injuries, it is just the way it is, so rotating is a good thing," Ancelotti added.
"We are used to playing that many games but need to be vigilant in monitoring the players' fatigue so they can rest when they need.
"The players who have just come back from the international break, like Vinicius, Rodrygo and Endrick, who had long travels with Brazil, are under observation because they haven't had time to rest or train.
"We have to try to avoid injuries. Last year we had a lot of injuries, but we managed to cope very well. With this schedule, it's normal to have injuries, and we have to face it."
LA Galaxy v Los Angeles FC: Cherundolo urges visitors to control emotions
Steve Cherundolo has urged Los Angeles FC to control their emotions when they face the LA Galaxy in an El Trafico clash that could decide the top seed in the Western Conference.
LAFC sit four points adrift of the Galaxy at the top of the West with two games in hand to come, though they have only won one regular-season match since July 5.
Cherundolo's team did beat the Galaxy 2-1 when the sides last met in April, though, and he says his team must keep their cool at Dignity Health Sports Park if they are to take three points.
"It's another great setup and matchup and I'm looking forward to it," Cherundolo said. "There's always things going on in this game, there's always emotion spilling over.
"They're always tight matches and I hope that our ideas will be effective and implemented well by our players.
"That needs to happen over 90 minutes, not just for 45 minutes or 60 or 70. Then I think we could come away with something tangible."
The Galaxy, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 at St. Louis City last time out, their first loss in MLS play since they went down by a 2-0 scoreline at FC Dallas in mid-July.
Head coach Greg Vanney believes Saturday's game will be decided by fine margins.
"This is a high, high level game, it's what it's all about. They're obviously a very good team and have different ways that they can catch you and beat you," Vanney said.
"They're a tough defensive team as well. When you're playing the highest level of games in our league it becomes about details and moments.
"That's what these games become about. You hope during the course of the season you get better and better and tighten up on some of those things, learning a bit about each other."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec
Nine of Pec's 11 goals and eight of his 11 assists in regular-season play in 2024 have come in home matches.
Only Lionel Messi (19) has more goal contributions in home matches than Pec's 17 in 2024.
Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga
Bouanga has scored six goals in six career matches against the Galaxy in all competitions.
No player has scored more against the Galaxy in all competitions since Bouanga made his LAFC debut in September 2022.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
LAFC have won six of their last eight matches against the Galaxy in all competitions (two losses) including each of the last three.
LAFC had won just three of the first 15 editions of El Trafico (five draws, seven losses). They have, however, only won one of their last five regular-season matches, drawing two and losing two.
The Galaxy, meanwhile, have won 10 of their last 11 regular-season matches at Dignity Health Sports Park (one draw) including the last eight in a row. A point may be the best the visitors can hope for, even with their strong record in local derbies.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 33.7%
Los Angeles FC – 40.6%
Draw – 25.7%
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