Chivas USA will have a very welcome face return to their lineup as forward Francisco Palencia will start against Houston Dynamo in Sunday's first leg of their Western Conference Semifinal Series at The Home Depot Center.
Palencia has looked sharp in training this week and has shown no ill effects from a sprained knee he suffered on Sept. 13 against FC Dallas. On Friday, Palencia played alongside Ante Razov in a first-team scrimmage Chivas held against its reserve side, and Chivas head coach Bob Bradley said Palencia will be in the starting lineup for the club's first-ever playoff game.
Wednesday was Palencia's first full training session since before the injury, which originally appeared to have been a season-ending injury.
But while Chivas will be buoyed by the addition of Palencia, the club will likely be without another major piece of its puzzle, as midfielder Jesse Marsch was not with the team on Friday.
Marsch has not trained with the club all week and spent Friday with doctors. The MLS original suffered a concussion against Real Salt Lake a week ago and has been slow to recover.
Marsch's absence caused a ripple effect on the potential starting lineup. Without Marsch, Kljestan and Mendoza will likely man the center of the midfield on Sunday.
In training on both Wednesday and Friday, Bradley put out a starting lineup that featured Brad Guzan in goal, a backline of Tim Regan, Jason Hernandez, Claudio Suarez and Lawson Vaughn (from left to right); a midfield of Jonathan Bornstein of the left, Mendoza and Kljestan in the center and Juan Pablo Garcia on the right; and Razov and Palencia in attack.
Of Chivas USA's potential starting lineup, the only players with MLS playoff experience are Razov (32 games), Hernandez (two games) and Regan (one game). However, Francisco Palencia and Claudio Suarez have a combined five World Cups between them and Juan Pablo Garcia has Mexican league playoff experience as well.
SCOUTING TRIP: Dutch visitors will reportedly be in attendance at The Home Depot Center on Sunday with hopes of seeing someone crazy.
Mexican media reported this week that PSV Eindhoven representatives will be at Sunday's playoff match to scout Juan Pablo "Loquito" Garcia.
Reportedly, Garcia has caught the interest of the two-time defending Dutch Eredivisie champions. According to the reports, PSV Eindhoven's interest stems from fellow Mexican Carlos Salcido's success in the Netherlands, as well as former Chivas coach Hans Westerhof's advice.
Garcia said he'd heard the rumors but knew nothing more than what was in the articles, first published by Mexican daily Mural on Thursday.
"All these rumors allow me to dream," Garcia said after training on Friday. "I've worked hard for a year and a half. I've given everything I have with hopes of an opportunity like this. There is no pressure. All I have to do is go out on the field and play at the level I normally play at."
Since joining Chivas USA in July 2005, Garcia said his main goal was to play in Europe. Chivas president and co-owner Antonio Cue has always stood by Garcia's dreams of playing in the Old World.
Garcia finished his second MLS regular season on a higher note than his first. A year ago, he scored one goal in nine games. This year, he finished second on the team with eight goals and added six assists.
Staying with Chivas USA was a smart move, Garcia said.
"I am prepared both mentally and physically. Had I tried Europe a year ago, it would have been crazy," he said. "I am much more prepared now. I've gotten a solid physical foundation and have worked hard on my fitness."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
