LA Galaxy vs Charlotte FC Player Matchup Preview: Justin Haak vs Luca de la Torre
- Rylee Mckinney
- Feb 25
- 3 min read
By Rylee McKinney
Matchday two is on the horizon for Charlotte FC as they take on LA Galaxy this Saturday on the road. After a 1-1 draw for Charlotte and a 1-1 draw for Los Angeles last week, this matchup will potentially send one team home with their first loss of the season. The last time the Crown met LA Galaxy was in 2024, ending in a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes.
Since then, both teams have made significant lineup changes, but management has remained steady. Back in 2024, Charlotte’s head coach, Dean Smith, entered his first season with the squad. Ending in 5th place in the Eastern Conference, Smith launched Charlotte into the pool of top-contending teams.
Meanwhile, the LA Galaxy had a difficult season in 2023, finishing 13th in the Western Conference. However, by 2024, head coach Greg Vanney had turned the LA Galaxy into a 2nd-place team. That season, the LA Galaxy went on a 19-game winning streak, ultimately taking home the 2024 MLS Cup.
Heading into 2026, both teams made significant offseason signings. Charlotte FC brought on midfielder Luca de La Torre, while LA Galaxy welcomed defensive midfielder Justin Haak. Last season, Charlotte’s midfield was quite crowded with Pep Biel, Brandt Bronico, Ashley Westwood, Djibril Diani, and Eryk Williamson fighting for minutes. Biel’s season-ending hamstring injury granted significant minutes to Diani. However, Biel’s return and Williamson’s departure created some slight wiggle room for Charlotte in the midfield. De la Torre’s contract was announced on December 30, adding more depth once again to the midfield.
As for the LA Galaxy, after conceding 66 goals last season, they desperately needed some defensive reinforcements. Haak signed with Galaxy in late December, hoping to provide the club with some versatility and depth.
Justin Haak - LA Galaxy - Defensive Midfielder
Previously with New York City FC from 2019 to 2025, Haak made a total of 111 appearances across all competitions with the Pigeons. Haak’s time with NYCFC resulted in three goals and five assists. Last season alone, Haak had 1.18 xG and 2.36 xA. Last week, Haak started in the right center midfield position against his former club, clearly getting adjusted to his new team.
Haak’s conservative presence left some serious defensive gaps for the LA Galaxy in transitional play against NYCFC. With time, Haak might find more comfort in his new role. Supporting players like Joao Klauss and captain Marco Reus might just help Haak shine with Galaxy moving forward.
Luca de la Torre - Charlotte FC - Midfielder
Charlotte’s shiny new signing is de la Torre, a former San Diego FC and current United States National Team player. De la Torre spent one season on loan with San Diego FC, making 30 appearances. Across all competitions, de la Torre scored five goals and recorded two assists, resulting in a 2.18 xG and a 1.97 xA.
Having more experience under his belt, de la Torre should have a slight upper hand over Haak. However, both players are new to their teams this season and have some major adjustments to make. Most importantly, de la Torre needs to show that he can help Charlotte evolve their style of play in possession.
Summary
Both Haak and de la Torre are just getting started for their respective clubs. Their new squads and veteran experience will showcase who can simply adjust the fastest. National team experience might just be the tipping point for de la Torre, but both players have put in the minutes.
LA Galaxy’s dependency on Haak to fall back and support as a defensive midfielder might also tip the scales in de la Torre’s favor. After all, de la Torre does have experienced Charlotte players Ashley Westwood and Pep Biel around him.
Stats from FotMob
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