The Southern California derby arrives tonight as LAFC travels south to face San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
This match marks a significant moment in the local rivalry, as the two clubs meet for the first time this season.
LAFC enters the contest in strong form, sitting third in the Western Conference. They recently snapped a winless streak with a victory over Minnesota United and followed that up with a 2-1 win against Toluca in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.
On the other side, San Diego FC is looking to find its footing. Despite a successful debut season last year, they have lost their last five consecutive MLS matches and are dealing with several injuries to key players like captain Jeppe Tverskov.
While San Diego is desperate for a win to turn their season around, LAFC is balancing a busy schedule that has seen them playing matches every few days across different competitions.
Why Is Son Heung-Min Not Playing for LAFC vs San Diego FC?
LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos has been vocal about the grueling nature of the team's current schedule.
The club is in the middle of a stretch where they play 13 matches in just 44 days. Specifically, tonight’s game falls right between the two legs of the Champions Cup semifinals.
After playing Toluca at home last Wednesday, LAFC must fly to Mexico for the second leg this coming Tuesday.
That match will be played at a very high altitude, which is physically demanding for the players.
Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images
To ensure the team is in the best possible shape for that critical game, Dos Santos confirmed he would be resting several key starters.
"We have to be fully prepared for Toluca," Dos Santos explained, noting that while the San Diego match is important, the physical limit of the players has to be managed.
Son, who provided the assist for the winning goal against Toluca earlier this week, is one of the primary players being protected from exhaustion during this busy period.
The South Korean starts on the bench as the team is making the Champions Cup a priority.
They are resting him now to make sure he is completely healthy and ready for the big game against Toluca later this week.
