We’re now at the end of the MLS season. Two final games for the LA Galaxy to decide their playoff fate. Saturday’s match against Austin FC.
With a win, the Galaxy will have good vibes heading into its Decision Day road trip to Salt Lake. But a loss or draw to Austin, combined with other results across the league, could see LA’s postseason hopes go away for good. Here are the scenarios for those to happen:
As is tradition, I talked with Phil West of Verde All Day to get his perspective on what’s happened to Austin FC this season ahead of this imporant matchup for the Galaxy.
How’s the season been for the Texas side? Will their recent elimination from playoff contention help the Galaxy? And how’s former LA Galaxy striker Christian Ramirez done this season after being let go by the G’s at the start of the season?
AR: Austin FC has recently been eliminated from playoff contention. For my readers, what went wrong this season?
This season feels like it’s lasted two years, and there’s a good reason for that — it really has been two seasons in one. The first half was under the ill-fated Nico Estévez, who was thoroughly unable to follow up on the relative success of 2025. By the time he was dismissed in May, the team had ceded 15 points by giving up late goals that turned wins into draws and draws into losses. He wasn’t the only one dismissed in May – sporting director Rodolfo Borrell, who as it turns out was not as universally beloved as we once thought, also got the heave-ho, and a cloud somewhat lifted.
Then Austin hired Jim Curtin, which is awesome, but there was a catch — he wouldn’t be available until December. That gave us interim head coach Davy Arnaud (hired by original head coach Josh Wolff, retained by Estévez, possibly staying on as assistant-coach-for-life), who spent the summer break instituting a three center back and two inverted wingback system that had some level of success (including an eight-match unbeaten streak late in the season), but also didn’t produce enough wins or enough goals.
They also used the summer window to turn their two best young movable players into an f-ton of GAM, moving Dani Pereira to CF Montréal (he didn’t seem happy about that) and Owen Wolff to SKC (he seemed quite pleased by that).
Then, they hit an early October juggernaut of matches vs. Nashville, at LAFC, and vs. Vancouver right as the front office was dealing with its biggest fan protest ever (complicated, but involves concerns about ICE and the MLS Code of Conduct, put into motion via a fan who was removed from the stadium for wearing an “Abolish ICE” shirt).
That pretty much doomed them, but they were still in the “mathematically possible” zone before losing to RSL on Wednesday. I don’t wish that kind of season on any soccer writer, though there’s been no shortage of things to write about!
AR: Are there any beacons of light for the future? Do you think Austin will want to play spoiler this weekend or kind of get on the brakes with just two games left to go?
Myrto Uzuni has gone as hard all season as this xylophone player crushing AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” and Ervin Torres (who will likely still be injured for this one after getting maimed by SKC) is the first true Academy-to-first-teamer in club history, and he’s been so much fun to see develop into a Real MLS Player in three months of MLS action. He’ll be great for years to come in Austin, unless he’s great in Liga MX, which wouldn’t surprise me at all.
I’m also excited for Curtin to come in, as his opening press conference in June promised “non-negotiable” ideals that made my heart sing. I’m sure Verde will come out fighting in the final two matches, but I’ve had my fill of Arnaud and what some fans have dubbed “quadversion,” and let’s just say that if Facundo Torres gets moved in the offseason, I will not be sad. At all. Despite his early-season set piece assists, I haven’t been in love with his body language or his multi-match goal contribution disappearing acts.
AR: Christian Ramirez extended with the club not too long ago and is the joint top goal scorer on the team. What’s his impact been like this season? Also has he said anything about his very brief time with LA this season? From what I’ve heard, he was cut from the team for roster compliance reasons rather than on the pitch reasons.
Christian Ramirez has instantly fit into this team as a veteran leader and goalscorer after the Galaxy’s front office totally flubbed things and had to waive him to be MLS roster compliant. His family stayed behind in L.A. and he was jetting between here and there until his recent extension came through, which will keep him here through the end of the ‘27-’28 season and is giving him the peace of mind to bring his family here -- especially since I’m anticipating that Austin will be the team he retires with.
He seems like the type of player who maintains good relationships with all his former teammates, including the Galaxy ones, but he’s really bought in on Austin. Consider that he arrived here on a Thursday, had one practice with the team Friday, got thrown into a match against D.C. that Sunday as a late sub, and scored the winning goal. He’s easily in my top five Verde players, and did that pretty instantly.