One of the most surprising moves from two summers ago was the departure of Riqui Puig from Barcelona to Los Angeles Galaxy.
The midfielder left at just 21 years of age for a league where players arriving from Europe were closer to retirement than in the prime of their careers.
The player was one of the pearls of La Masia and had already accumulated more than 50 games with the first team, but his role was becoming residual. For that reason, he decided to move the United States to feel important again. And with LA Galaxy he has found his place.
Puig has completed his second season with the MLS club, the first full season since he arrived. Despite the team’s failure to qualify for the playoffs, the Spaniard has had a good season with nine goals and eight assists. These figures have allowed him to be considered LA Galaxy’s ‘player of the year’ and he has also won the top scorer award of the Los Angeles team.
Leader in several MLS statistics
His performances this season place him in the top of the best players in many of the MLS statistics, especially in terms of playmaking and association.
He is the league’s player with the most total passes (2,073), most passes per 90 minutes (67.97), most passes into the final third (390) and most passes into the final third per 90 minutes (12.79). In addition, he fifth for the most completed passes of more than 32 meters per 90 minutes (5.43) and in percentage of success in long passes (77.65%).
All these statistics show that the former Barcelona player is key in this facet of the game, something understandable knowing how the Barcelona youth system works.
Puig also leads the table of most runs in depth (154) and per 90 minutes (5.05). He is the second with the most dribbles per game (2.82) and the fourth with the most fouls won (66).
Therefore, he not only dominates in passing statistics but is also important in terms of movement on the pitch allowing the Catalan midfielder, who is under contract until 2025, has become a leader of the team despite his 24 years of age.
The player has achieved a high status at the Los Angeles club and it seems that the decision he made a little more than two years ago was the right one.
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“I’m very happy in Los Angeles, I’ve always said that. LA treated me super well when I came and the fans have treated me like one of this great family,” Puig said as he committed his future to the team. “I keep saying that the Galaxy is the greatest team in MLS.
“It is true that this year has been very difficult for everyone, but we are already working with the board to have a very competitive team next year and we can fight to be among the best teams in the league.”
LA Galaxy’s season has not been a good one. The midfielder acknowledged that and is already thinking about next season, “It is true that this year has been very difficult for everyone, but we are already working with the board of directors to have a very competitive team next year so that we can fight to be among the best teams in the league.”
The Catalan does not want any excuses if next season goes wrong: “Next year we will have no excuses. This year the issue of injuries, the issue of as I said before, the president and the fans, I think we have to start from the beginning all together more united than ever. Next year we have to make a good team and fight to win titles”.
Riqui Puig, Golden Boot