CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy are one of North America’s most illustrious teams and they’ll host one of the globe’s biggest clubs on Saturday when they host Manchester United at StubHub Center.
The Galaxy will take on United in the first preseason match for the English giants during their American tour. The chance to face off against Paul Pogba, David De Gea, Juan Mata, and company will be a unique experience for the Galaxy’s players including Van Damme who enjoyed two stints in England with Southhampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Click here for tickets to LA Galaxy vs. Manchester United
“A game like this is good for MLS and soccer in the country. Teams like Manchester United are among the top in the world. It’s good to play against them and it’s fun for the boys. They’re in preseason so it’s the best time to play against them because they’ve been only been training for a week,” Van Damme said with a smile. "It's a gala match.
“It’s for the fans, for the media, for the sponsors, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s a good game to free our heads and it’ll be fun.”
The Galaxy could potentially welcome back Jermaine Jones from injury for Saturday’s match, while new signing Pele van Anholt could make his club debut.
For head coach Curt Onalfo, the match has “no negative” as they look to refocus ahead of the second half the season.
“It’s an honor to play a world class team like Manchester United,” he said. “They have some of the best players in the world and it’s always a positive. There’s no negative that comes from it.”
