Sergi Palencia began this season for the Los Angeles Football Club the way he ended the last: contributing in small doses off the bench. Then, after limited minutes over the first four games of 2024, the fullback became a fixture in Steve Cherundolo’s lineup, starting 35 of the 40 matches his name has appeared on a gameday roster.
Coming off a jam-packed September that delivered soaring Open Cup highs and cavernous El Trafico lows, Palencia’s efforts during the club’s half dozen matches made him the internal choice for player of the month.
The 28-year-old Spaniard may not have had a goal or assist (he hasn’t scored in 2024 but has assisted four times), but his reliable work and competitive edge playing multiple positions over that stretch has been noticed by the group, Cherundolo said on Friday.
“He has been doing that since his arrival,” said the LAFC coach. “It’s not just fair to point out September with him. I think he’s been amazing all season long. Defensively. Offensively.”
For his part, Palencia isn’t crazy about individual recognition in a team sport. But he won’t deny being grateful for the confidence and enjoyment that those accolades can bring. He is, however, a huge fan of passion. And as LAFC attempts to close out the Major League Soccer regular season in a strong way leading into the postseason, the passion needed to do that has been prevalent.
“I think we are playing with emotions that, for us, is very important,” Palencia said. “We are a team that needs this to be our best version. When we play at home, of course, we have this because our fans give us this. But away we are finding passions. We are winning duels. We are enjoying defending. That’s the key.”
That was clear last weekend in Cincinnati, when LAFC hung tough and earned three points days after becoming the only MLS team since 2019 to win four major trophies.
“It was a very intense month, that’s true, and a very successful month,” Palencia said. “With the win in Cincinnati, I think it was huge for us. The [draw] we played in Houston with all the international guys out, this also gives us confidence. And of course the U.S. Open Cup final, being the champs, raising the first trophy of the season is amazing.
“We have to use this energy until the end.”
Wrapping up a stretch of eight games in 29 days on Saturday, LAFC will need an emotional charge as they face Sporting Kansas City, the side they vanquished 3-1 to claim the Open Cup.
“They’re ready to push one more time before we shut them down for a couple days,” Cherundolo said of his players. “Their training was intense [on Friday], so we’ll look for more of the same against SKC.”
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Palencia played 120 minutes during the final on Sept. 25, but on March 9 he didn’t see the field when SKC (8-17-7, 31 points) and LAFC (16-8-7, 55 points) produced a scoreless draw in their regular season meeting at BMO Stadium.
Opening LAFC’s October slate with a 1-0 home win against St. Louis City on Wednesday — suspended for yellow card accumulation, it was one of three matches this year that Palencia could not be selected by Cherundolo — the Black & Gold face SKC in search of a fourth straight win.
That will require denying 15-year head coach Peter Vermes a small measure of Open Cup revenge as he manages his 600th match in all competitions for SKC, their 2024 home finale after failing to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs.
LAFC AT SPORTING KANSAS CITY
When: Saturday, 5:39 p.m.
Where: Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
TV/Radio: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass/710 AM, 980 AM