Training notes | Matchday 28

One of the LAFC players Chiellini had the biggest influence on during his time in LA is 20-year-old center back Lorenzo Dellavalle, who idolized Chiellini as a child growing up in Carmagnola, Italy. Dellavalle suffered a knee injury shortly before the LAFC game. last Meeting Seattle – at their season opener in February.

“He loves it here,” Cherundolo said of Dellavalle, “and he’s integrated into the community and built a nice little life for himself. The injury obviously came at a terrible time for him, but he’s recovering very well, ahead of schedule, and he’s young and will make a full recovery, so hopefully we’ll get him back at some point this year… he should be back in training by the end of the year for sure.”

Olivier Giroud, who won Italy’s Serie A title with AC Milan in 2022, just finished the European Championship for France and is expected to join LAFC in late July, Cherundolo said. As for when the star striker will suit up for the Black and Gold, “we’ll see when he arrives and in what shape he arrives and we’ll give him time. The last few weeks have been quite emotional and stressful for him as he finished his career in Italy, with Milan, and then moved to the national team, so he’s had a lot going on and now the big move overseas is coming up… I’m confident it won’t be long, but we’ll judge that when he gets here.”