A full week of match preparation has been tough to come by for the Los Angeles Football Club in 2026.
Head coach Marc Dos Santos had one opportunity to prepare his group over a full week during a 14-game stretch from April 4 through May 24. The team got a steady diet consisting of an off day and crammed video sessions.
The one time they could collect themselves occurred heading into the World Cup, when LAFC took a strong 1-0 win at home against Seattle on May 24 to snap a four-match losing streak.
Aaron Long appreciated the chance to delve into a whole match prep for Seattle as well as Friday’s triumphant El Tráfico in Carson.
“Marc set us up in a way that made us very hard to play against,” Long said. “So it was good and we just want to build from that.”
Fit enough to return to the matchday roster on April 14 coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon the previous summer, Long appeared in six of the 11 games he could have prior to the World Cup.
“After the injury we ramped up so fast so I could get back and playing with the group,” Long said. “And could give some minutes to our center backs before the break because we had so many games in a row there we were kind of on our last legs physically.”
Getting to play put Long in a great spot as games paused. He did enough to find his legs and weeks without competitive matches let him reset with additional rehab and strength work.
Wearing the captain’s armband on Friday, Long played 90 minutes and helped LAFC depart Dignity Health Sports Park with a 3-0 win.
“A lot of really good things and a great step in the right direction but we’ve got to keep it rolling into the next two games,” Long said. “If we can get out of this week with nine points then we’re feeling really good.”
On Wednesday night, LAFC (8-5-3, 27 points) hosts Real Salt Lake (8-4-2, 26 points) at BMO Stadium. RSL enters the game one spot behind third-place LAFC in the Western Conference standings, with two games in hand.
Last-place Sporting Kansas City visits Saturday.
Through the end of August, LAFC could play a dozen games over 44 days if it qualifies for the Leagues Cup knockout phase. The club’s Group Stage schedule unfolds Aug. 5-12 with matches at BMO Stadium against Guadalajara, Toluca and Querétaro.
Addressing the congestion, Dos Santos spoke with several players about managing minutes. That included Son Heung-min, who clocked in an uplifting 76 against the Galaxy and scored his first MLS goal of the season in his El Tráfico debut.
“Players always tell you that they’re good,” Dos Santos said. “Players always tell you that they’re ready. Players always tell you that they could play every game.”
That might not always be true, the coach said.
Injuries and a busy transfer market will also impact who Dos Santos calls on, prompting him to start Eddie Segura as a defensive midfielder against the Galaxy.
Midfielder Timothy Tillman was out with a leg injury and is doubtful for Salt Lake, but he should see the field no later than Saturday after a hard knock in an exhibition match against El Salvador.
Amin Boudri was listed as out on Friday, too. He was linked with a transfer to Swedish first-division club Hammarby IF, The Athletic reported on Monday.
Igor Jesus is not ready to contribute, but he should play sometime during the Leagues Cup group stage.
“There’s a lot of juggling to do,” Dos Santos said. “We have to focus game by game. Try to win the game in front of us now, but with an eye on the game on Saturday.”
REAL SALT LAKE AT LAFC
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: BMO Stadium
TV/Radio: Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes/710 AM, 980 AM, 1230 AM, SiriusXM FC 157