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Los Angeles Galaxy Arrive In France

February 24, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
LA Galaxy News Release


L.A. GALAXY ARRIVE IN FRANCE: The Los Angeles Galaxy departed for France on Monday, February 23, and a day later arrived in Paris, France in preparation for the club’s upcoming 2004 MLS season. The Galaxy will spend next eleven days based in Sainte-Maxime, and will play at least three matches against prominent French club sides before returning home to Los Angeles on Thursday, March 4. The Galaxy began their travels late Monday afternoon Los Angeles with a ten and a half hour transatlantic from LAX in Los Angeles to Charles DeGaulle Airport. Next, the Galaxy boarded a second plane for a one hour and fifteen minute flight from Paris to Nice, France. The team finished off their travels with an hour-long bus ride to Hotel San Jardins.

After checking in, Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid sent the team on a quick jog and stretch before sitting down for their first team meal. Following the meal, players headed back to their rooms to relax and catch the second half of the Champions’ Cup match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Tomorrow, the team will be up early in preparation for their first game of their France trip.

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT; HERZOG JOINS CLUB IN NICE, FRANCE: Following a long trip, a smiling Austrian, Andreas Herzog, greeted Galaxy players and staff from the driver’s seat of the team bus. Eager to begin his MLS career with the Galaxy, Herzog, who flew in from Austria to join the team, was all smiles and handshakes as he acquainted himself with his new teammates. Herzog, who along with Jovan Kirovski, mark the Galaxy’s two major acquisitions of the off-season and now marks the first time Head Coach Sigi Schmid will have his entire Galaxy roster all together.

A veteran of the German and Austrian Bundesligas, Herzog is a playmaking midfielder known for his dangerous left foot and true scorer’s finishing touch. Herzog, who becomes the first Austrian in Galaxy and MLS history, has performed at the highest levels for both club and country. In 1996, he captured a UEFA Cup with Bayern Munich. A two-time FIFA World Cup finalist, he represented Austria in 1990 and 1998.

BRAZILIANS JOIN GALAXY ON TRIAL: The Los Angeles Galaxy welcomed Brazilian defender Flavio Costa and midfielder Marcelo Saragosa at Charles DeGaulle Airport in Paris, France. The Brazilian duo flew direct from Brazil and join the club on trial in France. Currently the pair is part of South American club Sao Paulo’s ranks; Costa is a 20-year-old defender and Saragosa a 22-year-old midfielder. If added to the Galaxy’s roster, the Brazilians would not count against the club’s senior international limit of three players, but rather as transitional internationals.

GAME ONE: GALAXY CHALLENGE FRENCH SECOND DIVISION LEADER ISTRES: The L.A. Galaxy play their first-ever match against French second division leaders AS Istres in a midweek clash at 3pm local (6am PT) on Wednesday, February 25, 2003.

“We finally have our full team together and I’m very happy about it,” said Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “We are going to give everyone a chance to play tomorrow due to the long travel day. As for the new players joining us, I expect Herzog to play about 35 to 45 minutes and plan to give each of the Brazilians about 45 minutes each against Istres.”

The second division side plays in 11,000-seat Stade Bernard-Bardin and is lead by head coach Mehmet Bazdarevic. The club has been at the top of the table since the sixth week of the season when they posted a 2-0 victory at Troyes, whom they recently played to a scoreless tie at home, the final part of a current three-game unbeaten streak.

Forward Jacques Rémy, a veteran at age 32, leads his club with eight goals thus far in the 2003-2004 campaign after scoring nine times a season ago for the same club.

Following the match against Istres, the Galaxy will spend four days on the training pitches of Southern France before playing the second game of the tour on March 1. Either Cannes, Toulon, or the reserve team of AS Monaco will be the Galaxy’s competition for this game. The Galaxy will conclude their tour match schedule against a first division team, OGC Nice. Presently in the middle of the table in Le Championnat, they have captured the Coupe de France three times, most recently in 1997.

L.A. Galaxy Schedule - February 25 - March 4, 2004

Wednesday, February 25 Match vs. AS Istres
Thurs., Feb. 26 - Sun., Feb. 29 Training in France
Monday, March 1 Match vs. TBA
Tuesday, March 2 Training in France
Wednesday, March 3 Match vs. OGC Nice
Thursday, March 4 Return to LAX from France

L.A. Galaxy Preseason Roster - France (24)
GK (2) - Kevin Hartman, Dan Popik
D (9)- Chris Aloisi, Danny Califf, Ricky Lewis, Ryan Suarez, Tyrone Marshall, Paul Broome, Favio Costa*, Scot Thompson, Hong Myung Bo
M (8)- Josh Gardner, Guillermo Gonzalez, Ned Grabavoy, Andres Herzog, Cobi Jones, Marcelo Saragosa*, Peter Vagenas, Sasha Victorine
F (5) - Chris Albright, Jovan Kirovski, Joseph Ngwenya, Carlos Ruiz, Arturo Torres

* - non-roster invitee

Did you know … Entering their 2004 Pre-season trip to France, the Los Angeles Galaxy have compiled a 3-1 record in games played on the European continent. All four matches the club has played in Europe were part of the 2003 La Manga Cup, in which they finished third.

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