The LA Galaxy will be without their manager Bruce Arena for the derby against Chivas USA Saturday, Major League Soccer has announced.
Major League Soccer suspended Arena for leaving his technical area last Saturday in the 1-0 loss to Portland.
It appeared that Robbie Keane had scored the winning goal for the Galaxy before it was ruled out for offsides. Arena argued ferociously with officials, as did Keane and Landon Donovan.
Leaving the manager’s technical area is an automatic one-game suspension under MLS policy.
The Galaxy have slipped in the last month, picking up just two points in the league over their last four matches. They’ll take on the West’s bottomfeeders in Chivas, but without their manager it will be that much harder to rebound from the loss to Portland.
(MORE: Bruce Arena’s lame apology for late-game antics)
Los Angeles need all the points they can get, no matter who they can get them against. They sit in fourth place in the West, just a single point ahead of the playoff line.
The suspension means Arena will not be permitted on the pitch or in the StubHub Center locker room. Associate Head Coach Dave Sarachan is expected to take command for the match.
