MATCH PREVIEW: Inter Miami CF to Host LAFC on Saturday
The fixture may also feature a series of reunions between former teammates or known rivals for players on both rosters. Inter Miami’s Kieran Gibbs, Gonzalo Higuaín and DeAndre Yedlin could meet LAFC’s star player Carlos Vela once again after being his teammate or facing him in the past. Gibbs and Vela were teammates during their spells with English Premier League club Arsenal F.C. and played a total of 20 matches together. On the other hand, Higuaín faced Vela four times in Spanish LaLiga fixtures during his days as a Real Madrid player, while the Mexican was amongst the ranks of CA Osasuna and Real Sociedad at the time, and Yedlin has previously clashed against him in USMNT versus Mexico World Cup qualifying matches before the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Additionally, Inter Miami’s Campana and Emerson Rodríguez may play against former teammates. Campana and LAFC’s Ecuadorian counterpart José Cifuentes played a total of 17 fixtures together for Ecuador’s U-20 national side and two for the senior national team, while Rodríguez and LAFC’s Cristian Arango were teammates in Colombian team Millonarios F.C. before making the move to MLS, sharing the pitch a total 32 times. Lastly, Yedlin may face another familiar foe, as he and Doneil Henry played against each in a FIFA World Cup qualifying matchup between the USMNT and Canada in September of last year.