CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy stars Landon Donovan and David Beckham admitted to being less than 100 percent ahead of the Western Conference Championship on Sunday night at The Home Depot Center (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
“I feel good, but not perfect,” Donovan said. “Last week I didn’t train a lot. This week, I trained more, but I think we’re all at the point in the season when everyone is a little tired. You have to dig deep and find something.”
Beckham, who started only five regular season matches in 2010 after making a complete recovery from an Achilles tear in March, says he’s still working his way to full fitness.
“I’ve still got the aches and pains as you get in the preseason,” he said. “But I’m starting to come out a bit slowly. Last game I felt good. I am starting to come out a bit more than I was a couple of weeks ago.”
WATCH: Donovan, Beckham preview FC Dallas
Despite feeling less than optimal, both players are still expected to be in Sunday’s starting XI against FC Dallas.
“Obviously each game is tough to get over,” Beckham said. “But at this stage my fitness felt a lot better and I’ve had a good week. I’ll be ready.”
Galaxy manager Bruce Arena declared all LA players to be fully fit and says his team is as “healthy as it’s been all year.”
With the Supporters’ Shield winners having last played on The Home Depot Center grass last Sunday against the Sounders, Arena said recovery was quicker and made for a more productive week.
That being said, the players and Donovan in particular, who also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup this year, are counting down the matches and training sessions remaining in 2010.
“This week guys realize how close we are. You can tell,” Donovan said. “At the end of all this you have maybe five or six more training sessions and hopefully two more games.”
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