Despite El Trafico loss, LAFC lifted up by expected return of Carlos Vela

CARSON —  For seven seasons, regardless of the names on the jerseys, heartbreak has peeked around the corner whenever the Los Angeles Football Club heads south on the 110 to face the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Always waiting, lurking, a perpetual reminder of El Trafico’s legendary debut in the spring of 2018 when LAFC coughed up a 3-0 lead by conceding four second-half goals. Peaks and valleys. Twists and turns. The occasional head-over-heels highlight.

Madness has been a hallmark of the series ever since Carlos Vela opened it up with a pair of goals before Zlatan Ibrahimovic responded in kind.

Seven years later, neither Vela nor Ibrahimovic was part of the story for Saturday’s third clash of the year between LAFC and the Galaxy — not on the field, at least, which ended 4-2 in favor of the home side following another momentous comeback in Carson that once more straddled the line between control and chaos.

“We played a good first half,” said LAFC’s Ilie Sanchez, who has worn the captain’s armband throughout most of Vela’s absence. “I think we were loyal to who we are and what we want to do on the field and we didn’t do it in the second half. That’s on us. It’s not because of the history of this rivalry. It’s not because we were at their place. The only explanation about tonight is that we didn’t do our jobs. We were not ourselves in the second half and lost the game.”

Dignity Health Sports Park has a way of making that happen for LAFC, which fell to 1-7-2 all-time here.

Ibrahimovic, Galaxy’s leading man from that fateful first El Trafico, is long gone, departing for Europe following the 2019 season.

Vela was head honcho for LAFC from 2018 through 2023. He took an extended break before reappearing the Friday prior to the latest edition of the derby by agreeing to end his free agency.

Despite missing all three regular-season meetings with the Galaxy in 2024, which netted out to a pair of 2-1 wins for LAFC before their house of horrors in Carson lived up to its reputation, nothing has altered the Mexican’s lasting imprint on El Trafico and professional soccer in the city, which is why news of his return was met with sheer joy from fans who grew to love him the previous six years.

Unsigned since LAFC played in the MLS Cup final in Columbus last December, the return of “El Rey” coincided with Major League Soccer’s roster freeze — in essence a drop-dead date for MLS teams to determine which players are eligible to participate over the final stretch of the regular season and the upcoming playoffs.

Vela, it turned out, wanted in.

LAFC has not officially announced his return, but is expected to prior to their next match on Wednesday.

With Vela’s considerable help, LAFC claimed its lone league championship in 2022. A major factor the next season, which at 53 games was the longest for any MLS team in the history of the league, Vela then stepped away from the game after LAFC came up short in its repeat bid.

Vela spent time with his family. As LAFC underwent massive roster turnover in preseason, Vela enjoyed the wintery fun of Vail, Colo. In the spring, as LAFC attempted to regroup from a slow start, he headed to Coachella. This summer included trips to Italy and France. By then, LAFC had turned things around during a club-record 13-game winning streak.

All the while questions over Vela’s status lingered. Everyone involved wanted to get a deal done, but the timing wasn’t quite right.

Now Vela will join a group that includes many faces he hasn’t played with, including Olivier Giroud, David Martinez, Kei Kamara, Maxime Chanot, Hugo Lloris, Omar Campos, and Lewis O’Brien.

LAFC has seven regular season games remaining to try and catch the first-place Galaxy, which took a seven point edge over Vela’s club thanks to its second-half rally.

Unless they meet in the postseason, however, Vela won’t get a shot at adding to his El Trafico-leading goal and assist tallies until 2025.