5 Predictions for the 2025 LA Galaxy Campaign
My predictions on the success and potential failures the LA Galaxy might have in the 2025 season.
Preseason is fully underway for the LA Galaxy, the reigning MLS Cup champions. The squad is back, working on their match fitness, and on their way to the desert for preseason matches at the Coachella Valley Invitational.
The calendar has changed to 2025 with new faces, new goals, and new expectation for the club. The reigning champions have under gone some significant roster changes in part due to the MLS Salary cap. General Manager Will Kuntz has made surprising but necessary changes to the teams roster during the offseason.
Because of the many impacts and surprising roster moves this offseason, my prediction list took longer to make that I originally anticipated. Here are my predictions for 2025 and where I believe the LA Galaxy’s ceiling is for this upcoming campaign.
If you want to reread (and laugh) at my prediction for 2024; you can find it right here:
Lack of chemistry will lead to early season struggles in MLS
Defending a championship in Major League Soccer is the most difficult among all the major sports leagues in America. This league emphasizes parity with a salary cap, teams must spend wisely on reinforcing the frontline while the defense doesn’t get that equal amount of reinforcement, and there is interest for players around the world - something leagues like the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL don’t have to worry about.
The Galaxy has already had to make major moves on their roster to be salary cap-compliant. Gaston Brugman, Jalen Neal, and Mark Delgado were traded this offseason to create salary cap room for this season and the future (Neal and Delgado were going to request new contracts). Aside from playing big roles in games, they also added lots of value to the locker room that helped the team win the MLS Cup.
The incoming players to the Galaxy are Sean Davis as part of the Brugman trade, Lucas Sanabria, Elijah Wynder, JT Marcinkowski, and Zanka.
During the LA Galaxy’s first press conference of the season in January, one thing became clear to me: The LA Galaxy needs to build up its chemistry in the locker room and on the pitch.
“I'm going to have to learn a little bit about their strengths and weaknesses and how to connect those with the guys that we have and make sure we get the most out of everybody that we have,” said Vanney during the club’s first press conference of the season. This alludes to Vanney needing to get a new pulse of the team and see what tactical adjustments might be needed.
Dejan Joveljic’s departure to Kanas City adds another road block for the team. The Serbian gave LA that clutch factor in the Galaxy’s playoff run - including the game-winning goal in the MLS Cup Final. The frontline now has to focus on building chemistry with Miguel Berry, who played 826 minutes last season or adjust to a new signing. This is a massive shake up that has put LA two steps back in the attack.
This Galaxy side has that championship mentality and a good amount of talent on the roster to compete with anyone. But chemistry is what makes team click and play with confidence. The moment when teams start to second guess themselves is the moment where weakness show. Building those connections take time, the Galaxy is more likely to be stronger during the final stretch of the season rather than the beginning.
Galaxy make the Concacaf Champions Cup Final
While the Galaxy struggle in MLS, the SoCal club will have a strong run in international play. Teams tend to struggle to have success in both competitions and I see that trend continuing in 2025.
Because tournament play has a different dynamic, I see the Galaxy being able to put up good performances in this competition. I don’t think they will be as dominant as their run to MLS Cup but they will be able to survive. All that matters is that you’re the last one standing when it comes to knockout round games.
It will be the first time this decade that LA is in the regions premier soccer tournament. The Galaxy gets a first round bye and is on the same side of bracket such Club America, Seattle Sounders, Tigers UNAL, Cruz Azul, and FC Cincinnati.
Vanney has experience in Concacaf during his days with Toronto FC and was close to winning the tournament back in 2018. He knows the struggle of playing in Mexico and has experience in dealing with how games can play out in tournament play.
Aside from Club America, the other major clubs on the Galaxy’s side of the bracket are going through a rebuild phase of some sort.
The Sounders will be at the start of their integration of its new attacking pieces. Cruz Azul coach, Martín Anselmi, has departed the club in dramatic fashion after a historic Apertura campaign last year. Tigres are in the midst of a generational shift. And FC Cincinnati and former MLS MVP Luciano Acosta look set to head their separate ways.
While the Galaxy are going through a roster transition, they still have their best players and a majority of their championship core. If the Galaxy can get through to the semifinals; Club America will likely be the team that stands in their way on this side of the bracket.
Marco Reus struggles to be consistently impactful
In most circumstances, losing a DP like Riqui Puig for about half the season would be seen as a death sentence for your season. Lucky for the Galaxy, the replacement is Marco Reus - a former German player of the year and one of the most respected players in the world.
Reus was brought on a non-DP contract last season, and his addition to the squad was helpful during LA’s championship campaign. But the calendar has flipped to 2025, and last season is now in the rearview mirror. Reus’ addition made the Galaxy’s cap situation more complicated for 2025 - that’s another reason why I believe he needs to a game-changer.
It’s ok to take those risk that affect the salary cap as long as the player is producing equal or more value of their contract. Being stuck with players on big contracts that have little contribution is the worst possible scenario.
There is no doubt about the German midfielder's skills and technical ability. However, can he stay healthy and add those game-changing qualities when the Galaxy need it most?
Reus dealt with injury troubles in less than six months of his arrival, but he did come off a long European season that ended in a Champions League Final loss. A full preseason with the Galaxy should help ease his way into good match fitness for the upcoming season, but his injury history is very hard to ignore.
He struggled to stay on the field, leading to a diminished role at Borussia Dortmund as his prime years went on. I struggle to imagine Reus being healthy for most of the season, especially given that MLS is a physically demanding league that plays during the spring and summer months. There is a strong possibility that the acquisition of Reus might sour if he can’t add game-changing moments for the 2025 LA Galaxy.
Novak Mićović becomes a starter before the midway point of the season
The LA Galaxy goalkeeping situation is quite intriguing heading into preseason. John McCarthy, Novak Mićović, Brady Scott, and Marcinkowski are all on the roster competing to be part of the matchday squad once the MLS season rolls around.
McCarthy is coming off an excellent year, where he is statistically among the top 10 goalkeepers in the league. His shot-stopping in key moments was a part of the reason why the 32-year-old won the second MLS Cup of his career.
Mićović appeared in two MLS matches last year and played in two matches in Leagues Cup. His highlight moment of the season was his game-clinching save in the penalty shootout to give LA the win over Chivas de Guadalajara.
If my prediction of LA’s lackluster start to the season turns out to be true, one of the early moves could be at the goalkeeper position.
While McCarthy’s been a good shot-stopper, his struggles on the ball are very clear. The Galaxy will be without Riqui Puig for half the season and without the recently traded pair of Gaston Brugman and Mark Delgado - all of who were among the best ball progressors on the team last season.
The Galaxy must be better with the ball, starting from the backline. Despite his limited sample size - Mićović’s ability on the ball is one of his standout attributes. He can play accurate long balls and read situations under pressure to play the ball when teams start the high press.
If he can be an above-average shot-stopper, the Galaxy will have a quality player to replace McCarthy - who is in the final year of his contract. McCarthy was brought to the club to be the bridge Goalkeeper. I feel this is the year we will see that transition happen.
The Galaxy’s Ceiling in 2025: 2nd Round Exit
MLS makes it so hard for teams to be repeat champions; the word dynasty doesn’t exist in modern MLS. The Galaxy has more questions than answers heading into the 2025 season, surrounding many players compared to last season.
Veterans who were essential to creating a championship culture in the locker room are gone, new players have to adjust to Vanney’s system, and players like Gabriel Pec or Riqui Puig are major questions in the second half of the season.
In the case of Pec, his performances in 2024 put him on the scouting radar of many clubs. The Brazilian winger has real interest abroad, given his goalscoring and natural abilities on the ball. The summer transfer window would be the moment when teams in Europe look to see the price of the Pec. The Brazilian has the desire to play in Europe, and should the opportunity arise in the summer, he’ll likely take it.
For Puig, there is a real possibility he might not be the same player. ACL injuries are tough on players who rely on quick bursts of pace, intense changes of direction, and quick adjustments to get a pass or shot off.
I worry there is real possibility that come the end of the season, Puig is lacking that explosive sprint with ball and he may be hesitant to trust his body and push himself to the limit.
The Galaxy will be a competitive team, they will have more talent that most teams but I don’t think they’ll be the top team in the West. The playing field is more even on this side of the country heading into the season.
Seattle added Jesus Ferreira to bolster the frontline, Austin spent $8 million to bring Brandon Vazquez back to MLS, LAFC could add Antione Griezmann in the summer, San Diego is a Wild Card heading into their first MLS season, San Jose has reinforced on the roster and the touchline with Bruce Arena, and there is bound to be a surprise team that makes significant leap in the West.
The LA Galaxy being a second round exit seems like a logical prediction for 2025. They’ll put up a good fight for most of the season but there is a reason we haven’t seen a repeat champion in over a decade.