laFC 2025 preview: will the black and gold triumph despite all the TURNOVER?
Kevin Gonzalez
February 22th, 2025
LAFC will be going into its 8th season in MLS. The team was founded in 2014 after the collapse of Chivas USA. The Black and Gold was founded by a group of investors and local celebrities led by managing owner Bennet Rosenthal. LAFC embraced a grassroots strategy by establishing itself in the heart of downtown LA within Exposition Park. The team connected with the soccer and Latino community, appointing former USA International head coach Bob Bradley and Mexican international star Carlos Vela as its first player to join the team. LAFC became the face of Los Angeles soccer, having won the Supporters Shield twice, US Open Cup, and wining the MLS cup in just seven years.
season recap
MLS Record: W 19, D 7, L 8 PTS 64
Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals
Leagues Cup: Finalist
US Open Cup: Champions
LAFC had some tremendous changes in its roster prior to the start of the 2024 season. Their club legend Carlos Vela and the club could not agree to terms prior to the start of the season, Kellyn Acosta would leave in free agency, and Giorgio Chiellini would go on to retire. LAFC also transferred out all their goalkeepers and brought in World Cup winner, Hugo Lloris, from Tottenham. They also acquired a former player, Eduard Atuesta, on loan from Palmeiras and Omar Campos from Santos. The Black and Gold would also sign Oliver Giroud during the summer transfer window.
US Open Cup Champions
LAFC won some silverware this season despite not winning the MLS cup. The Black and Gold finished the regular season on top of the Western Conference, surpassing their cross-town rivals, the LA Galaxy, by a goal difference of one in the last game of the season. LAFC would go on to lose to their west coast rivals, Seattle Sounders, in the Western Conference Semifinals. Having lost to Columbus in the 2023 MLS Cup final, the black and gold would lose, once again, to the Crew in the Leagues Cup. However, there was triumph; LAFC would go on to win the 2024 U.S. Open Cup, beating Sporting Kansas City 3 to 1, at home.
Head coach, Steve Cherundolo
This will be Steve Cherundolo’s fourth year as LAFC head coach. Over the past 3 three years, Cherundolo has made this team more defensivly pragmatic. They have become a team that prefers less of the ball over the past three seasons. We’ve seen this team have 51.2% possession in 2022 to averaging 46.8% possession this previous 2024 season. Steve sets this team up in 4-3-3 and towards the end of the season we saw them switch more to a 3-4-3. LAFC play fast, fluid, and direct when attacking. This team led in interceptions pers match with 11.2, while also being second most in touches in the opposition box this season. LAFC were such a lighting quick attacking team that Denis Bouanga managed to have the most carries in the penalty despite have a smaller amount of carries. Cherundolo’s attacking three of Bouanga, Bogusz, and Cristian Olivera were so critical on off-ball runs, allowing the midfield to pass direct thru-balls into the final third after intercepting the ball at the beginning of play.
Player Carries vs. Carries into Penalty Area chart
This off-season, LAFC traded two of their attacking forces for a profit. Mateusz Bogusz, age 23, had more of an offensive output, due to Carlos Vela leaving at the start of the season. Bogusz and Omar Campos were transferred to CD Cruz Azul. Cristian Olivera went to Gremio in Brazil. Stipe Biuk was on loan to Real Valladolid during the 2023-2024 season, but after Real Valladolid was promoted, it triggered one of Buik’s clause, and he was signed by the Spanish team for €4 million euros. We also saw Jesús Murillo and Ilie Sánchez leave on free transfers. And to round it all out, Lewis o’Brien and Eduard Atuesta left and going back to their parent clubs from loan.
Roster:
New signings for this upcoming season so far: Igor Jesus (Estrela Amadora), Artem Smolyakov (Polissya), Cengiz Ünder (Fenerbahce), Marco Delgado (LA Galaxy), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas), Jeremy Ebobisse (San Jose), Yaw Yeboah (Columbus Crew), Odin Thiago Holm (Celtic).
Igor Jesus
Igor Jesus was signed by LAFC as a U22-Initiative signing. Prior to playing for Estrela De Amadora in the Portuguese first division, Igor Jesus played three years for Flamengo’s senior team, having rose from their youth academy. Igor also played for the Brazil U23 in 2023, where they won 2023 Pan American Games. Igor Jesus was brought in to replace veteran midfielder, Ilie Sánchez, as the number 6 for the team. He’s got a large task at hand, Ille led the team in interceptions last season with 48. Igor will provide a younger and more physical prescence to this already physically defensive midfield.
Igor Jesus
Artem Smolyakov
Artem Smolyakov was another U22 Initiative signing by the Black & Gold. The club signed Smolyakov from Ukraine side, Polissya Zhytomyr, for a total of €2 million. He was brought on as a back-up for Ryan Hollingshead, and a replacement for Omar Campos. Smolyakov is U-21 Ukraine player, having helped Ukraine qualify for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Artem Smolyakov
Cengiz Ünder
Cengiz Ünder joins LAFC on loan, as a Designated Player, until June 30th. His parent club is Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe. Ünder is a left footed right winger, who likes to cut inside with the ball. Cengiz will be the third to this attacking trio of Denis Bouanga and World Cup winner Olivier Giroud.
Cengiz Ünder
Marco Delgado
Marco Delgado was signed from “El Traffico” rivals LA Galaxy this off-season. Delgado was crucial for the MLS 2024 champs. He was the hard-working midfielder that covered much of the defensive duties for their star player Puig and Gabriel Pec. Delgado will be paired with new signing Igor Jesus and Timothy Tillman this season.
Nkosi Tafari
Nkosi Tafari was signed from FC Dallas. Tafari was a part of a struggling Dallas last season. Tafari is a two-sided center back, that can play in a 3-4-3. Tafari is still in his prime and adds depth to this LAFC team that likes to play in either 4-3-3 or 3-4-3.
Jeremy Ebobisse
Jeremy Ebobisse was signed this offseason on a free transfer. Ebobisse played last season for the wooden spoon winners, San Jose Earthquakes. He was San Jose’s second top goal scorer with 6 goals last season, his worst season with the club. Ebobisse will play as the backup striker for Oliver Giroud this upcoming season. He will play as a target man this season, similar to how Kei Kamara played this previous season.
Yaw Yeboah
Yaw Yeboah was signed this offseason by acquiring his MLS rights from San Diego FC, who picked him up during the MLS Re-Entry Draft. Yeboah saw a decrease in his playing time for the Columbus Crew. He was competing against Max Arfsten and DeJuan Jones for minutes. One thing is for sure, though, Yeboah likes to get the ball up the field quick and this LAFC is all about quick, attacking, transition soccer. This is another depth piece when LAFC sets up in a 3-4-3.
Yaw Yeboah
Odin Thiago Holm
Odin Thiago Holm joins LAFC on a season long loan from Celtic. Holm struggled to get minutes at Celtic the last two seasons he has been there. He was a part of The Guardian’s Next Gen list in 2020 and is considered a future national-team prospect. He’s played for every youth level for Norway since the U-15 and is currently playing for their U-23. Holms likes to distribute the ball to the wings or play a simple passing game. He is also press resistant and plays more of a traditional number six that will drop back or connect the defense with the attack.
Designated players:
Denis Bouanga
Denis Bouanga
This will be Denis Bouanga’s fourth year as LAFC’s star player. Bouanga is an elite level forward in the MLS. The team’s attacking strategy is built on his ability to split defenders and get in one-on-one situations against the keeper. Bouanga scored 8 penalties last season, having been award 5 himself. He led the league in penalties awarded. In his last two seasons, Bouanga has scored 20 goals in the regular season. Bouanga led the league in total shots (144) and was second behind Gabriel Pec in shots on target (50). Bouanga's offensive output could see a boost this season as he plays a full campaign alongside Giroud.
Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud signed last season as a free agent after his contract was over at AC Milan. Giroud’s play time last season has been limited. He joined after a long campaign with Milan and France who played the 2024 Euros. During the 2024 MLS campaign, Olivier managed to play the full 90 minutes just once in 15 games. He was brought on to be the teams target striker that links up play in the final third and pulls defenders with his off-ball movement.
Olivier Giroud
Key Players:
Timothy Tillman
Timothy Tillman primarily plays as the team’s aggressive ball-winning midfielder. Tillman has a high work-rate by winning the ball in multiple areas in the field. This upcoming season Tillman will pair up with Marco Delgado and Igor.
Aaron Long
Aaron Long became the team’s captain last season. Long is known to play as a no-nonsense center back. He led the team in clearances and blocked shots this previous season.
BREAKOUT PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Nathan Ordaz
Nathan Ordaz is a Los Angeles FC Homegrown player. He is currently 21 years old and was called up last season by El Salvador national team. He is primarily a right winger.
David Martinez
David Martinez is a 19-year-old right winger. Martinez was signed last season from Monagas SC in Venezuela. Martinez debuted for Venezuela at the age of 17 and has played in their youth teams as well. Last season he scored 4 goals and 2 assist, playing just 456 minutes for the club.
upcoming season expectations
LAFC wants to win the MLS cup. The Black and Gold will be looking to top the Western Conference once again. Prior to the start of the current season, John Thorrington made it clear that the objective every year is to challenge for the MLS cup. This team has lost a lot of key players this offseason, but LAFC does this every year. They sell players for a profit and reinvest with quality assets. The biggest offseason movement this year was adding depth and creating the most physical, hardworking midfield in the league. Steve Cherundolo knows how he wants his team to play, and he surround his star players with other top talent. This LAFC team is going to a be defensively solid team that will attack in the transition.
summary
The Black and Gold is one of the favorites reach the Western Conference Finals this year. They have the quality to reach another Leagues Cup final or at the very least make it to the last 8. In CONCACAF Champions Cup, they have to turn a 1st leg loss to Colorado Rapids into a win to proceed to the next round, but can be favorites for it. We shouldn’t be surprised to see them in the Semi-Finals of CCC.