Los Angeles Football Club signs Mario Gonzalez from Sporting Clube de Braga of Portugal while Maxime Crepeau returns to action.
On Saturday, the Black and Gold announced the signing of Gonzalez. The Club has acquired the forward using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).
Although LAFC signed Gonzalez, Crepeau coming back is like a new signing. It’s been 260 days since Crépeau suffered a fractured leg in the 2022 MLS Cup Final versus Philadelphia Union.
Maxime Crepeau
Crepeau’s return significantly boosts LAFC ahead of the team’s remaining MLS fixtures. On Sunday, July 23, he played with LAFC2 and completed 90 minutes.
LAFC2 won against Tacoma Defiance 2-1 at Titan Stadium. Goals from Matheus Maia and Tamir Ratoviz were enough to get LAFC2 the three points.
Although Crepeau conceded a goal, he kept the team alive and avoided injury.
“I can train 5000 hours during the week, ” said Crepaau. But it’s not the same as a game.”
Crepeau returning doesn’t mean John McCarthy is going to get dropped. But he adds more depth in the goalkeeping department. Since the absence of the Canadian goalkeeper, McCarthy took over with exceptional performances.
McCarthy was named the MLS Cup’s most valuable player due to his performance against the Union in the MLS Cup Final. It’s not announced what day Crepeau will return to the first team.
Mario Gonzalez
Although Creapau is back in action, LAFC made a new signing. Mario Gonzalez joins the Black and Gold after spending two years with SC Braga. The Spanish forward scored 13 goals and registered one assist in 22 games on loan with OH Leuven in the Belgian Pro League A.
He made 16 appearances on loan with CD Tenerife of the Spanish Second Division, notching six goals. In the 2020/21 season, Gonzalez scored 14 goals in 27 appearances for Tondela in the Primeira Liga in Portugal.
However, he spent most of his career playing for Villareal, where he played in big tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League match versus AS Monaco in 2016.
He made six total appearances for the Yellow Submarine, one Champions League game, and one Europa League game. His best years were from 2015 to 2019, as he made 94 appearances for Villareal B in all competitions scoring 16 goals.
Gonzalez and Creapau coming into the team will bring depth, experience, and quality.
Gonzalez’s numbers show he can bring quality to the table.
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