Ahead of Saturday night's El Trafico encounter in the MLS is Back Tournament (10:30 pm ET | ESPN, TSN), LAFC's Mark-Anthony Kaye hopped on the Mornings with Keyshawn, LZ and Travis radio show to discuss the big game. And he did not mince words.
It started with Kaye's reaction to the assertion that the LA Galaxy are in a bit of denial when they continue to claim they are the "big brother" in the rivalry.
"They’re holding on," Kaye said. "They’re holding on to what they have left. The fact that they have to keep bringing up their five championships — I was in high school when that happened. It’s in the past. We have to focus on the present and future now. So for them, they’re really holding on. And I got a little backlash from their supporters the last time I said that. But I think it’s the honest truth. So yeah, we’re here. I think LA is our city.”
Then there's what he expects from from a Galaxy side mentally that is looking to Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez as its leader and not Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Watch: Kaye explains LAFC's edge
“There’s no way they have the same mentality about everything," Kaye said. "I think when you have a guy like Zlatan on the field he can change everything for you. I think there’s still trying to figure out playing with this kind of style with Chicharito. But they’re not stupid people. They understand where they stand in the position they are in with us. So I’m not surprised they’re a little fearful.”
The match will be the first in the rivalry not played in Southern California, and Kaye admits it will bring a different feel to the fixture.
If anything, though, he thinks that may actually provide his side an edge.
"I think in turn it’ll actually benefit us because if you look the Galaxy in the last couple of years," Kaye said. "They feed off of this rivalry where they have to create these billboards and they have to say this and that in the media. And now they can’t really do that. We’re ready. We want to win every game and the fact that it’s against the Galaxy is a great opportunity to get three points. We’re excited, but it will be different in the sense of surrounding intensity.”
