CARSON, Calif. – There's just something about El Tráfico.
In the first 2025 edition of the raucous LA derby, Marco Reus brought the inevitable Hollywood star power with a brace to secure a draw at home for reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy, 2-2, against bitter crosstown rivals LAFC.
“I like these games, especially when we play at home with our own club,” Reus said post-game at Dignity Health Sports Park.
“So for me, it's always an opportunity to step up for the team and for myself as well. It was a big game.”
Reus to the rescue
With Riqui Puig out until the summer, Reus was expected to fill the Spaniard's free No. 10 role for the Galaxy this season, but the 35-year-old’s own knee issue has limited his minutes.
As the former Borussia Dortmund star has returned to action over the past month or so, Reus has flipped a switch with six goal contributions in his last five matches – highlighted by a late, equalizing free kick past legendary French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to secure a point in the derby.
“I’ve had these kind of situations a thousand times in my career, so I know what I have to do in this situation,” Reus said. "I'm not watching like, 'Okay, the ref is going to blow the whistle, and then I have to shoot now.' I have to stay calm, just concentrate on the situation and then hopefully it goes in.
"This time I was a little bit lucky, but it was a good chip as well.”
Big game player
El Tráfico also seems to bring the best out of Reus, who now has two goals and two assists in two matches against LAFC for the Gs. Big-game players deliver in derbies.
“A hell of a finish by Marco on the free kick. We needed him to step up and he did in that moment,” head coach Greg Vanney praised. “I’m proud of the guys.”
Until Puig returns, Reus continuing his stellar form will be crucial to any chances LA have at bouncing back this season.
“It's important to have him on the field because we can rely on him to change the game as he could do last year and Riqui’s not there, but we have Marco Reus, so that's another good player too to kind of fill that spot," midfielder Edwin Cerrillo shared.
"Just to have him in the locker room with his experience and going through this tough stretch of games – he's the guy that continues with positivity around the locker room and everybody respects every time he speaks.”
New beginnings?
For a team on a record 14-match winless streak to start the season, which ties the third-longest overall winless streak in MLS history, a point against their bitter rivals feels invaluable. It may not be three points, but snapping a five-game losing streak after Vanney received a contract extension is beginning to improve the vibes in Carson.
“It’s a derby, and for the fans, it’s very important for them that we keep fighting. We still believe in us, you saw that today," Reus said in a postgame interview with MLS Season Pass. "It was not an easy game for us, like the last games as well, but if we continue like this with the team chemistry, with not giving up, especially in this situation, we will come back.”
Still dwelling at the bottom of the league table without a win (0W-10L-4D; four points), the Galaxy’s experienced manager is not going to get ahead of himself.
“I honestly don't look at the standings because it doesn't make any sense. I know where we are. I know what our points are like,” Vanney said.
“What I look at is our performances and try to help make this team better and help our guys to prepare them to win. In our league, you’ve got to start stacking some wins. You start stacking some wins and you can talk about whether the playoffs are a thing or not. I think for us it's just to start getting the first win, the second win and then going from there, and then I think it's a better time to have that discussion. But right now we've got to focus on one win at a time.”
Next step
To begin stacking results, the return of DP wingers Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil must work hand-in-hand with Reus as they did on Sunday. When they’re all on the pitch together, spaces open up for the German playmaker.
“He's such a smooth customer,” Vanney said of Reus. “The keys from Marco is getting on the ball, getting him in places where he can face forward, getting guys who are running with him and around him so that he can just deliver because his vision is so good and his touch is so soft.
"So again, I think as we continue to get healthy and get Joe around him and Gabe around him and guys who are going to give him those runs that he's going to help slide into into players and pick out the passes that he needs to, it's going to help him a lot.”
Reus will look to keep his excellent form rolling with two more in-state rivalry matches. The Galaxy travel to expansion side San Diego FC on Saturday (4:45 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+; FOX, FOX Deportes) before returning home for a Cali Clasico against the San Jose Earthquakes the following Wednesday (10 pm ET | MLS Season Pass; FS1, FOX Deportes).
