Vanni Sartini opened his arms to an unlikely addition to the Vancouver Whitecaps’ fanbase in their deciding fixture against Los Angeles FC in the MLS playoffs.
In the Whitecaps’ wild card match against the Portland Timbers, a game they won 5-0, opposition manager Phil Neville believed that God was on his side after the game was played at Providence Park, despite Vancouver finishing higher in the Western Conference.
Sartini explained after the result that he did not believe in God but said he would be a welcome Whitecaps supporter in their must-win encounter at the BMO Stadium.
“I don’t know. After last time when I said that I don’t think he exists, I don’t know if he wants to become part of the Whitecaps, but if he does, we will give him an honorary card,” Sartini said.
The Whitecaps forced a deciding game in their best-of-three series after beating LAFC 3-0 at BC Place, the only tie to go the distance in the West.
Vancouvers’ postseason form has seen them play some of their best football this term, and Sartini is hoping for that to continue.
“We had a run in the late summer, and we were playing really well, and we have achieved that same level, and it’s the level of a top four team to be honest,” Sartini added.
“The three games, we knew that the conditions were going to be back, and we knew we were gearing towards the playoffs with all the players arriving and ready to go.
“I know that we will play a good game in Los Angeles, we will. If we win, I don’t know. We will honour this playoff run.”
LAFC, meanwhile, will be aiming to avenge their defeat in Game 2, hoping not to become the second high-profile casualty in the playoffs after the Columbus Crew were eliminated by the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference bracket.
Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 10th minute before two own-goals either side of half-time from Ryan Hollingshead and Eddie Segura sealed the win for Vancouver.
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo bemoaned his side’s slow start to proceedings after finding themselves two goals down inside 13 minutes and is looking to rectify that on home turf this time around.
“If you go back to the 11 games that we lost this season, it has always been the crucial moments at the beginning of the half where we make mental lapses and errors,” Cherundolo said.
“It was a little sloppy mentally and tactically in those moments and that is just not good enough to win games. Against Vancouver, it is difficult because they are a team full of energy.
“They almost always capitalise on opponents’ mistakes, and they did against us. We have nothing to blame but ourselves and we will look to correct those errors in training.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LAFC – Denis Bouanga
Despite not finding the back of the net in Game 2, Bouanga will be hoping to get himself back among the goals against one of his favoured opponents in the MLS.
He has recorded at least one goal contribution in all five home matches he’s played against Vancouver in all competitions, totalling four goals and four assists over the five matches.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld has scored in four straight matches for the Whitecaps going back to the end of the regular season, including a goal during his side’s victory in Game 2.
The only Whitecaps player to score in five straight MLS matches (regular season and playoffs) is Camilo Sanvezzo between June and July 2013.
MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN
While the series is level heading into the decider, it is LAFC who are predicted to emerge victorious according to Opta’s data-led simulations.
However, their seven-match winning streak in all competitions ended with the loss to Vancouver in Game 2. LAFC have not lost consecutive matches in over a year, since a three-match losing run between August and September 2023.
Vancouver’s 3-0 win last time out ended an eight-match winless run in the best-of-three series. (D2 L6). They have managed only one win in 12 all-time away matches against LAFC (D4 L7) but did beat the Black and Gold in a penalty shootout at BMO Stadium in the Leagues Cup this year.
The Whitecaps’ triumph in Game 2 was their third all-time playoff victory (D2 L8). In those three wins, the Whitecaps have outscored opponents, 13-0, while being outscored 19-6, in their other 10 postseason contests.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LAFC – 63.1%
Draw – 19.6%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 17.3%
Michel urges Girona to rise to the occasion against out-of-form Madrid
Girona boss Michel has urged his players to prove themselves against "one of the best teams in the world" when they face Real Madrid in LaLiga on Saturday.
Michel's side, who finished third in the Spanish top-flight last season, have failed to replicate that form, currently occupying eighth place after 15 games of their campaign.
Girona come into the clash with Carlo Ancelotti's side on the back of a shock defeat to fourth-tier side Logrones in the Copa del Rey in midweek.
They have also failed to win any of their last three games in all competitions, scoring just two goals, which both came in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal in their last league match.
Though Girona have not lost any of their last four games in LaLiga (W3 D1), which is their longest unbeaten run in the competition this season, Michel highlighted his side's attack as an issue so far this term.
"We are a better team in defence than last year. However, we need to improve in attack, to finish plays," Michel told reporters.
"When you go down you have to get up as soon as possible and that day is tomorrow."
But Madrid have been in a slump of their own, losing four of their last seven games across all competitions, including a midweek defeat to Athletic Bilbao that saw their longest unbeaten run away from home in LaLiga come to an end (W13 D8).
Despite their recent form, Michel was under no illusions about the task at hand for his players, insisting his side must play a "perfect" game to get a result on Saturday.
"Tomorrow I expect what it is, the Champions League and LaLiga winners. A great team with great players," he added.
"We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and we have to play a perfect game.
"There is no need to motivate the players for a game against Real Madrid."
And looking at recent meetings between the two sides, the odds are stacked against Michel's side.
Madrid have won their last two meetings with Girona in LaLiga, keeping clean sheets in both, and can make it three wins in a row against the Catalan side for the first time in the top-flight.
Michel has also struggled against Los Blancos in LaLiga. He has lost two of his four league meetings with Carlo Ancelotti (W1 D1).
Only against Diego Simeone (W1 L4) has he suffered more defeats as Girona boss in the competition (also two against Imanol Alguacil, Manuel Pellegrini and Quique Setien).
Neuer and Gnabry out of Bayern's clash with Heidenheim
Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry will be absent when Bayern Munich take on Heidenheim in the Bundesliga.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern, who lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal in midweek, were already without top scorer Harry Kane.
Now two of his team-mates have joined him on the treatment table.
Neuer, who was sent off against Leverkusen, has an issue with his ribs, while Vincent Kompany did not specify Gnabry's injury.
"Manuel Neuer has discomfort with his ribs. It also looks like Serge Gnabry won't be involved either. Aleksandar Pavlovic is available," Kompany told reporters.
"Pavlo is available. There's no limit on how long he can play. He's not played for a while, but he's available."
Kompany did, though, provide a positive update on Kane.
"Things are looking good. I don't want to give a timeline and put our medical team under pressure. It could well be that he plays again this year. But everything needs to go perfectly," Kompany said of Kane.
Bayern are firmly in control in the Bundesliga and are unbeaten after 12 games with 30 points, four more than second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
They will fancy their chances of maintaining that unbeaten streak when they take on relegation-threatened Heidenheim, who have lost their last four league games.
However, Kompany warned against complacency.
"They're playing in Europe. It's always tough to be competitive in both competitions. What Heidenheim have done over the last 20 years is good," Kompany said.
"They're a very solid club. They won't panic now. We don't differentiate in how we prepare. It'll be another important game for us."
Heidenheim won their last Bundesliga game against Bayern 3-2 – they became the first promoted team in the league's history to come from two goals down to beat the Bavarians.
Red Bulls star Morgan embracing underdog mentality for MLS Cup
Lewis Morgan is embracing the underdog spirit ahead of Saturday's MLS Cup final, as the New York Red Bulls take on the LA Galaxy.
The Red Bulls will feature in their first MLS Cup final since 2008, while the Galaxy are returning to the show-piece match after a 10-year absence.
This will be the first meeting between the Galaxy and Red Bulls since April 2021, a 3-2 home win for LA.
The Galaxy, who have played in nine MLS Cup finals previously, progressed in each of the previous two postseason ties between the sides, advancing in the 2001 quarterfinals in sudden-death extra time as well as in the 2011 conference semifinals.
Greg Vanney's Galaxy team are the favourites, but Red Bulls playmaker Morgan is happy with the underdog label.
"We've known we've been underdogs going into loads of the games, we've embraced that, and we'll embrace that again this weekend," said Morgan.
"We're not expected to go there and run all over LA Galaxy. We're expected to go there and make things difficult and try and impose our style of football, which is exactly what we're going to try to do."
Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz said: "Our main focus has to be our daily training session, our video session and not to think too much about what can happen after the game or about the history of this title or something like that.
"Only to think about what we need on the field."
The Red Bulls' hopes have been buoyed by the fact that the Galaxy will be without their midfield talisman Riqui Puig, who is injured.
Though Puig's absence has only increased the motivation within Vanney's squad.
"We have to win for Riqui," Maya Yoshida said.
Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil added: "I'm really sad for him, because this is also something that really means a lot to him.
"So for us as players, we are not only doing this for ourselves, we are also doing this for him."
Vanney said: "We're going to miss Riqui. There's not another player in the league, honestly, that's like him.
"He's special and unique, and he does special things for us. He can turn a game on a dime in one quick play – he's extraordinary.
"We're going to have to take up that slack in a collective way, both with and without the ball and how we move the ball quickly and the things that we do in attack.
"But also in the ways that we do defensively, in trying to clog things up, create turnovers, do some things that maybe with Riqui, we don't have to do as much, but we're going to need to do a little bit more of it [Saturday]."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy - Gabriel Pec
Pec has had a standout season in attack for the Galaxy, scoring 21 goals in all competitions and adding 16 assists.
With Puig out, Pec will be one of the players Vanney needs to step up and deliver, as he has done all campaign.
Red Bulls - Emil Forsberg
Forsberg has provided the experience and guile that had previously been missing in attack for the Red Bulls, since his January switch from RB Leipzig.
The Swede has scored 10 MLS goals and set up a further four. If he is on form, he could prove the difference-maker.
MATCH PREDICTION: LA GALAXY WIN
The Red Bulls may be embracing the underdog tag, but the supercomputer is backing the Galaxy to get over the line.
They outscored their opponents 16-3 in their four matches so far in the 2024 postseason, the best goal difference of any team en route to the MLS Cup final. Only Toronto FC (17 in 2016) scored more goals in a single postseason than the Galaxy's 16 this year.
The Galaxy have reached the MLS Cup final for the 10th time, twice as many as any other team in league history (D.C. United, New England Revolution). After losing in their first three MLS Cup Final appearances, LA have won five of their last six outings dating back to 2002, only losing on penalties to Real Salt Lake in 2009.
The Red Bulls, who won 11 of 34 matches during the 2024 regular season, are the first team to reach the MLS Cup final despite winning less than one-third of their games.
New York's 1.38 points per match is the lowest of any MLS Cup finalist since Salt Lake in 2009 (1.33), so that is one possible omen in their favour.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy - 50.9%
New York Red Bulls - 24.2%
Draw - 24.9%
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