San Diego FC faces the LA Galaxy on Saturday night in a match that carries significant weight in the MLS playoff race — and a familiar face on the opposing side.
Hirving "Chucky" Lozano is set to return to Snapdragon Stadium with his new team after joining the Galaxy on loan from SDFC. The move came after months of tension in which Lozano trained apart from the team while the club worked to find him a new home, following a reported locker room shouting match near the end of last season.
Despite the circumstances surrounding his departure, Lozano's former teammates had little but kind words for him.
"I had a lot of good memories with him last season. So nothing bad to say, at all," forward Anders Dreyer told ABC 10News after training at the Sharp Healthcare Performance Center in El Cajon on Thursday.
"Outside of football, we have a really good relationship. Nothing crazy happened between him and me, especially individually. He's a great person and a great player, but right now, he's defending the Galaxy jersey, and we defend the San Diego jersey. In the end, it's football, and you have to defend your foot," midfielder Anibal Godoy added.
Players and coaches were eager to move the conversation quickly past the Lozano storyline. With both clubs fighting for a playoff spot, the stakes extend well beyond the rivalry.
"Both (teams are) in the same position in the table. We're fighting for one spot in the playoffs," Godoy said.
Head coach Mikey Varas acknowledged the added intensity of a matchup against a team based fewer than 100 miles north of San Diego.
"At the end of the day, it's a regional rivalry, a Derby Day. We know how important these games are for our fans, for Frontera, and we always bring a little bit extra for that, as well," Varas said.
Regardless of who lines up on the other side, Varas said the focus remains on the Galaxy as a whole.
"Ultimately, Galaxy is full of very good players," Varas said.
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