The LA Galaxy announced today that Guillermo Barros Schelotto has hired Gustavo Barros Schelotto, Ariel Pereyra and Dominic Kinnear as assistant coaches. Javier Valdecantos will join the club as a fitness coach. Gustavo, Pereyra and Valdecantos join Guillermo from Boca Juniors, where they won two Argentine Primera División championships together. Former LA Galaxy Assistant Coach Junior Gonzalez will remain with the club as a scout.
Gustavo, 45, served his twin brother as an assistant at both Lanús and Boca Juniors during Guillermo’s stints at each club. Gustavo enjoyed a 16-year career as a professional, playing alongside his brother for Argentine clubs Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Boca Juniors. His professional career included other Argentine Primera División teams (Unión Santa Fe, Racing Club, Rosario Central) as well as stops in Spain (Villarreal), Peru (Alianza Lima) and Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Islanders).
Pereyra, 45, was born in Berazategui, Argentina and played alongside Guillermo and Gustavo at their boyhood club Gimnasia. Pereyra retired from the professional ranks in 2008 to join Gimnasia as a youth coach. He later joined Guillermo’s staff at Lanús, moving with him to Boca in 2016.
Dominic Kinnear will return as LA Galaxy Assistant Coach after finishing the 2018 campaign as LA Galaxy Interim Manager. In the last six matches of the season under his leadership, the Galaxy went 4-1-1. Kinnear originally joined the LA Galaxy as an assistant in Aug. 2017. As an MLS manager, Kinnear is 169-137-135 all-time.
Schelotto will bring Valdecantos on as a physical trainer. Valdecantos, 60, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and joined Schelotto’s staff at Boca Juniors when he was hired in 2016. Valdecantos has worked for professional clubs in Argentina, Spain, Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico.
Former Director of Player Personnel and Scouting Kurt Schmid has left the club to join Inter Miami CF. Former LA Galaxy Director of Sports Performance Pierre Barrieu and Assistant Coach Ezra Hendrickson are no longer with the club.
2019 LA Galaxy Home Opener
Schelotto and his staff’s first season as LA Galaxy Head Coach will begin with the 2019 Home Opener, when the Galaxy host Chicago Fire on Saturday, March 2 at 5 p.m. PT. Tickets to that match are on sale now, available here.
The LA Galaxy will kick off the 2019 MLS preseason in February, hosting three MLS sides during three consecutive Saturdays in February 2019. The Galaxy will begin first against Toronto FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on Feb. 9, followed by Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Feb. 16 at Orange County Great Park and finishing with the Colorado Rapids on Feb. 23 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
