CARSON, Calif. – As we look ahead to the LA Galaxy’s 2018 MLS regular season schedule, LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano has provided his top five most exciting players to visit StubHub Center this season.
Diego Valeri (March 4)
Whenever the reigning Most Valuable Player comes to town, it’s time to take notice.
Valeri, the defending winner of the MLS Landon Donovan MVP award, comes to town with his new-look Portland Timbers on March 4. The 31-year-old Argentine maestro tallied 21 goals and 11 assists in a remarkable individual season for Portland.
He’ll be relied upon even more next season as Portland undergoes a transition under new head coach Giovanni Savarese.
Diego Rossi (March 31 and Aug. 24)
Los Angeles Football Club’s signing of Uruguayan teenager Diego Rossi is one of the much-ballyhooed offseason additions to the 2018 campaign.
The 19-year-old forward joined LAFC from Peñarol in Uruguay’s top division. A Uruguayan youth international, Rossi scored 10 goals last season, helping his club to their 51st title.
The Galaxy will get to see what all the hype is about three times this season when the two teams meet up in the revamped Clásico Angeleno.
Miguel Almirón (April 21)
Miguel Almirón will lead his star-laden Atlanta United into their first visit to StubHub Center in 2018.
The 23-year-old Paraguayan took MLS by storm in 2017, scoring nine times and notching 17 assists as the chief playmaker for an electric offense that scored 70 times. Almirón’s stellar campaign saw the midfielder win the 2017 Newcomer of the Year while also being named a finalist for league MVP.
The talented Paraguayan isn’t the only exciting piece that Atlanta will bring as they’ll also boast prolific striker Josef Martinez and new addition Darlington Nagbe.
Kei Kamara (Sept. 29)
This may be a surprising choice, but I’ve always counted myself as a fan of the ever-divisive Kei Kamara.
The MLS journeyman will kick off his second stint with Vancouver Whitecaps FC this season after spending the last two seasons with New England Revolution. A heel to opposing defenses, Kamara banged home 12 goals and five assists for the Revs last year, including an impressive goal against the Galaxy early in the season.
A supreme aerial threat with a devastating first touch, Kamara be a considerable threat for the Galaxy to handle when Vancouver comes to town.
Alberth Elis (Oct. 28)
The Houston Dynamo made a surprising run to the Western Conference championship final in 2017 buoyed in large part by the play of Honduran star Alberth Elis.
In his first season in MLS, “La Panterita” or “The Little Panther” set the league alight with 10 goals and four assists for the Dynamo. His goals proved vital for Houston as the Dynamo went undefeated when the dynamic attacker found the back of the net.
A blistering fast striker with a panache for fun goal celebrations, Elis will be one to watch this season as he looks to repeat his impressive debut campaign.
