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Hurrah! Major League Soccer is back in SoCal this Saturday as the LA Galaxy open their 2017 season by hosting FC Dallas at StubHub Center.
Where does one start? As departures go, the Galaxy had a one of their most lively off-seasons in recent years. Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Landon Donovan, and Mike Magee, to name a few, all said goodbye to the five-time champs.
There was no big name acquisition this winter, but there is three newcomers in the likes of Romain Alessandrini, Joao Pedro, and the always-controversial Jermaine Jones.
There is also a new sheriff in town. Die hard Galaxy fans will almost immediately recognize a familiar face on the Galaxy bench, as former Los Dos manager Curt Onalfo will taking over for Bruce Arena, who has departed to the USMNT.
It goes without saying, Onalfo won’t have it easy in his debut. FC Dallas arrive as the current Supporters' Shield holders and it is widely anticipated they will challenge for the title again.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that Oscar Pareja’s side already has two official games under their belt, clinching a spot in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
This, of course, isn’t D.C. United last season, where the Galaxy cruised to 4-1 victory, but there is a value to start like this one. Sure, this game could prove little difference in Galaxy’s overall season, but these are the kind of starts that can prove telling, especially with a new manager. Will the Galaxy mount a proper title challenge or simply fall short in the playoffs once again? Obviously we won't know the answers to these questions on Saturday, but a start against a tough opponent like FC Dallas might give us a better perspective of how good this new-look Galaxy team can be.
Match date/time: Saturday 4:00 pm EST, 1:00 pm local
Venue: StubHub Center, Carson, California
TV: Univision (Spanish), Univision Deportes (Spanish)
Streaming: fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription),