Who does the LA Galaxy miss more: Gaston Brugman or Marky Delgado? | OneFootball

The once mighty Galaxy had the MLS Western Conference's best offense in 2024 with a much-improved defense than the year before.

That was just under seven months ago. Yet, it feels like longer.

During the winter, Will Kuntz, general manager for the LA Galaxy, made some difficult decisions with the roster. The team had no choice but to trade stars like Dejan Joveljic to Sporting Kansas City, and young defender Jalen Neal was sent to CF Montreal.

That moves didn't stop there. A pair of midfielders were also shipped out heavily in part due to salary cap constraints entering the 2025 MLS regular season.

The 2024 MLS Cup Finals MVP, Gaston Brugman, was the first player to go. He was traded for Sean Davis, who was eventually waived by the team. Shortly after, Marky Delgado became a member of LAFC's soccer club for a second time.

But who do the one-win LA Galaxy miss more in 2025?

Marky Delgado didn't have to travel far to play for his former team again. Yet, this season he and LAFC look to be going places such as the MLS Playoffs.

LAFC was the top seed in the MLS Western Conference, thanks to a tie-break over the Los Angeles Galaxy. Following the games from the end of June, Delgado's new team is in a three-way tie with Austin FC and the Colorado Rapids with 26 points in the standings.

Delgado has two goals and four assists in his 16 appearances this season. He has started in 13 games while subbing in during three others.

Though he hasn't played in almost a month, LAFC went unbeaten in their last nine games that Delgado played. That includes the 2-2 tie against the LA Galaxy during Rivalry Week. He recorded an assist in that contest, as well.

Just like Delgado, Gaston Brugman's team is unbeaten their last nine games with him playing. However, all nine of those games are the most recent ones played by Nashville including three straight wins on the road.

Brugman has been less impressive statistically than Delgado. The Uruguyan midfielder has no goals and just one assist for his new Eastern Conference club. With 20 games already played, they are just two points out of first place behind the Philadelphia Union.

While Brugman had perhaps the biggest assist of the LA Galaxy's entire postseason run last season, Delgado has been more productive on his new team than his former teammate.

Either way, the Los Angeles Galaxy has missed the presence of star player Riqui Puig. New additions Elijah Wynder and Lucas Sanabria have not performed too impressively, yet. Both are young players who need to develop like Delgado and Brugman have over the years.

As fans and the LA Galaxy locker room surely miss both, Delgado is perhaps missed just slightly more. But the six-time MLS Cup winners would not have made history last December without either one.