<p>LAFC winger Carlos Vela is drawing rumors about returning to LaLiga with his former club, Real Sociedad. Sociedad is just one of the clubs rumored to be in the market for the Mexican. For example, Cruz Azul in Liga MX wants Vela ahead of the Clausura 2024 phase of the league’s season. Yet, Vela has an extensive history with Real Sociedad. The reputation and camaraderie with the LaLiga side may make a move back to Spain more likely.</p>



<p>However, a move to LaLiga is not overly simple. There are concerns for both the club and the personal motives of Vela. For Real Sociedad, it all comes down to money and availability. The Spanish side wants to bring back the player who made over 250 appearances with a strong goal record. It may not be feasible, though.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://twitter.com/JonVinambres/status/1741424696548073675" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jon Viñambres</a>, a reporter covering Real Sociedad, the club is in communication with Carlos Vela and his representatives. The Spanish side cannot match the financial offers from other clubs. Plus, Real Sociedad would have to use the January transfer window to make room in the squad. Viñambres would guess Mohamed Ali Cho would be the player to make way for Vela <em>if</em> Real Sociedad makes a move.</p>



<p>On a personal level, Vela sees the more lucrative offers of other clubs as more important as a favor to his family. Moreover, staying in Mexico would keep him closer to where he was growing up. Even if his family were in Los Angeles because of his exploits with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/lafc-tv-schedule-los-angeles-fc/">LAFC</a>, he would not be far away.</p>



<h2>Real Sociedad wants Carlos Vela to return</h2>



<p>When Vela played for Real Sociedad from 2012 to 2018, he was a regular starter for the side. His 248 appearances with the side yielded 73 goals and 43 assists. He was the club’s player of the season in both 2011/12 and 2013/14. In those seasons, Real Sociedad finished 11th and seventh.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240102_WST_480908_Carlos-Vela-Real-Sociedad-1200x675_59c1aeb2.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-480926" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Carlos-Vela-Real-Sociedad-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Carlos-Vela-Real-Sociedad-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Carlos-Vela-Real-Sociedad-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Carlos-Vela-Real-Sociedad.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>Since his departure in January 2018, La Real has finished in the top half of the league table each season. Last year, Real Sociedad finished fourth, which returned the club to the UEFA Champions League, where the Spanish side won its group.</p>



<p>Carlos Vela can still return to LAFC next season, even though his contract with the California club is up. Yet, LAFC may want to spend its ‘designated player’ spots on options who are younger than Vela. The Mexican is turning 35 in March this year.</p>



<h2>Vela a revelation in LAFC’s brief history</h2>



<p>Carlos Vela was the first player LAFC signed when the club launched in 2018. As the side’s first designated player, he carried the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/08/20/lafcs-success-in-mls-and-beyond/">weight of early success for a club</a> that garnered attention in the United States. He <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/vela-brace-gives-lafc-bragging-rights-in-el-trafico-thriller-20230416-WST-428706.html">smashed all those expectations</a> en route to success both individually and for the club. An MLS Cup Champion in 2022, Vela is a three-time <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">MLS</a> All-Star. In 2019, the year LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield, Vela won the MLS Golden Boot as its top scorer. He was also MLS MVP that season.</p>



<p>He failed to win any silverware with Real Sociedad during his time in Spain. A return to the side this winter could open the door to success in one of the competitions Real Sociedad is still alive in.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>

LAFC's Carlos Vela linked with return to LaLiga side

LAFC winger Carlos Vela is drawing rumors to return to LaLiga with his former club, Real Sociedad. Vela has over 250 appearances with La Real.


<p>This year’s playoff format in MLS is significantly different from what long-time fans are accustomed to, and unfortunately, not in a positive matter.</p>



<p>Shortly before the commencement of the 2023 season, the league unveiled the details of an expanded postseason structure, marking a significant departure from the recent trend of single-game knockout matches.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">MLS</a> now grants <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/without-messi-why-watch-the-mls-cup-playoffs-20231011-WST-461382.html">playoff access</a> to nine teams from each conference, allowing a substantial 62 percent of the league’s teams to participate, with more than half having the privilege of hosting at least one postseason game. Furthermore, a rather intricate addition to this format is the incorporation of a best-of-three round, a feature harkening back to the league’s early years.</p>



<p>This best-of-three round has historical roots, with MLS employing two different versions of it from 1996 to 2002, including the use of a 35-yard shootout to break ties and an approach allowing ties based on a “first to five points” system. Many argue that there is no legitimate competitive rationale for the recent postseason setup, particularly the introduction of a best-of-three first round, followed by single-game matches in the subsequent rounds.</p>



<h2>Format did not come out until just before season</h2>



<p>What is even more concerning is that the main driving force behind this innovation appears to be commercial in nature. Jonathan Tannenwald of the <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/mls-playoffs-schedule-philadelphia-union-jim-curtin-20231027.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Philadelphia Inquirer</em></a> claims everything is about money and viewership for the league. What compounds the issue is that the league’s motivations have been evident to a multitude of individuals, including players, coaches, front-office personnel, and others who are willing to express their opinions candidly but anonymously, out of apprehension regarding potential repercussions.</p>



<p>The initial rationale behind this decision lies in the extended postseason. It provides <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/apple-tv-customers-to-pay-more-to-get-season-pass-discount-20231025-WST-464512.html">Apple</a>, the league’s streaming broadcaster, with a larger inventory of games to include in its package. Therefore, more fans will pay to watch games on MLS Season Pass.</p>



<p>In contrast, the preceding four years, with single-game rounds throughout, did indeed deliver some thrilling moments. Nonetheless, they also sparked discontent among personnel from lower-seeded teams. Clubs in the bottom half of qualification believed they deserved home games solely based on their playoff participation. These complainants have now had their demands met.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231027_WST_465370_Vela-MLS-Cup-1200x675.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-465420" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Vela-MLS-Cup-1200x675.png 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Vela-MLS-Cup-300x169.png 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Vela-MLS-Cup-768x432.png 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Vela-MLS-Cup.png 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Carlos Vela helped LAFC capture its first MLS Cup last season.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Carlos Vela takes exception to new MLS Cup Playoffs format</h2>



<p>The top seven teams from each conference will secure direct entry to the first round. In contrast, the eighth and ninth-placed teams from both conferences engaged in a one-off game in the Wild Card matches. The eastern conference wild card winner was the New York Red Bulls. Out of the west, Sporting KC defeated the San Jose Earthquakes in a penalty shootout.</p>



<p>This arrangement will result in 16 teams progressing to Round One, where they will compete in a knockout format. These 16 teams will be divided into two groups of eight, maintaining the distinction between the Eastern and Western Conferences.</p>



<p>The team with the higher seed hosts the first game. Then, the lower-seeded team hosts the second game. In each game, there must be a winner. Therefore, if either leg ends in a draw after 90 minutes, the game goes straight to a penalty shootout. The team to win two games in a best-of-three series advances. After that, the conference semifinals, conference final and MLS Cup Final are one-off affairs.</p>



<p>Ultimately, the conference champions square off in the MLS Cup Championship finals. The MLS Cup final is on Dec. 9. The higher-seeded team hosts the final. Last season, that was Los Angeles FC, which won the competition.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/lafc-coach-issues-warning-to-mls-after-campeones-cup-loss-20230929-WST-459433.html">LAFC</a> captain <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/carlos-vela-takes-aim-at-leagues-cup-for-bold-reason-20230804-WST-447750.html">Carlos Vela</a> secured MLS Playoffs qualification under the old format in five out of six seasons in MLS. However, he appears uncertain about the league’s rationale for adding the opening series.</p>



<p>“It doesn’t make sense, but it is what it is. The league decided and we can only try to win the first two [games] to have time to prepare better for the next round”, he said at a press conference before the playoff opener against the Vancouver Whitecaps, via <a href="https://www.tudn.com/futbol/mls/carlos-vela-critica-nuevo-formato-playoffs-ideado-mls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TUDN</a>.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em>.</p>


Carlos Vela joins fans in perplexity over new MLS Playoffs format

Does the new MLS Playoffs format confuse or annoy you like it has to LAFC star and defending MLS Cup champion Carlos Vela?


<p>Los Angeles FC star winger Carlos Vela has spoken out against the Leagues Cup, saying that it unfairly targets Liga MX teams.</p>



<p>The United States and Canada play host each year to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/leagues-cup-tv-schedule/">Leagues Cup</a>, a North American soccer tournament including teams from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/where-to-watch-mls-on-us-tv-and-internet/">Major League Soccer</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/watch-liga-mx-us-tv-internet/">Liga MX</a>. Four clubs from each division participated in the first season, which began in July 2019.</p>



<p>The first event was an American-hosted, single-elimination tournament that concluded on September 18, 2019, in Las Vegas. With the addition of all MLS and Liga MX teams in 2023, the event became a regional cup for those leagues. The top three clubs in the Leagues Cup qualify for the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/how-to-watch-the-concacaf-champions-league-on-us-tv/">CONCACAF Champions Cup</a>, and the winner receives a first-round bye.</p>



<h5>Messi’s presence boosted interest in Leagues Cup</h5>



<p>The Leagues Cup has received a lot of media interest in <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2023/07/17/leagues-cup-2023-mls-liga-mx-tournament-explainer-messi-miami-debut/70411768007/">its first expanded year</a> because of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/inter-miami-v-orlando-coverage-plans-for-messi-in-leagues-cup-20230801-WST-446887.html">Lionel Messi</a>, the new star of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/inter-miami-tv-schedule/">Inter Miami</a>. Because the United States will host the tournament, the Mexican teams must travel for each match.</p>



<h2>Carlos Vela thinks Mexico should also host Leagues Cup games</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="HIGHLIGHTS: Los Angeles Football Club vs. FC Juárez | August 2, 2023" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P6mc1plpxnE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>Following their 2022 MLS Cup <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/los-angeles-win-major-league-soccer-cup-20221106-WST-407027.html">triumph</a>, LAFC earned a bye into the round of 32. However, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/carlos-vela-issues-warning-to-lionel-messi-about-mls-brand-20230802-WST-447121.html">Vela</a> is unhappy that none of the games will be played in Mexico or anywhere else in Liga MX. All of them will take place in the United States.</p>



<p>“For me, the fairest thing is to have matches in Mexico as well. Liga MX clubs are at a disadvantage because they play away from home and always play away games. We should be able to enjoy all three countries. There are teams from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.</p>



<p>“Ideally, matches would be played in all three countries. There shouldn’t be as much of an advantage for the home team. This will be the first edition. It should evolve over the years. They’ll find the right formula to make it enjoyable for all parties,” Vela <a href="https://theathletic.com/4726888/2023/07/30/carlos-vela-lafc-messi-mls/">told</a> The Athletic.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO &amp; ZUMA Wire</em></p>


Carlos Vela has voiced his displeasure with the Leagues Cup structure, claiming that it unfairly disadvantages Liga MX teams.

Carlos Vela takes aim at Leagues Cup for bold reason


<p>Inter Miami’s recruitment of Lionel Messi has drawn international attention to Major League Soccer (MLS).</p>



<p>After his contract with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/psg-tv-schedule/">Paris Saint-Germain</a> expired last month, Messi signed with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/inter-miami-tv-schedule/">Inter Miami</a>. He has joined MLS after a two-decade career in Europe’s top leagues with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.</p>



<p>The league’s top players, most recently Carlos Vela of Los Angeles FC’s starting lineup, have all welcomed the coming of the world’s finest player. The Mexican expressed his opinion to <a href="https://theathletic.com/4726888/2023/07/30/carlos-vela-lafc-messi-mls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a> about what Messi means to MLS while attending a promotion event.</p>



<h5>Messi already leaving his mark with Miami</h5>



<p>Lionel Messi has been impressive in his first two Leagues Cup outings for Inter Miami, scoring three times. Notably, he reversed the downward spiral of a club that desperately needed a win. They appear like a more formidable team with Sergio Busquets in the fold.</p>



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<h2>Vela expects Messi to expand MLS brand</h2>



<p>According to Vela though, the finest player in the world has to be prepared for everything to expand his brand and promote the growth of soccer in the United States.</p>



<p>“He just has to enjoy his football and decide what to do on the pitch to really stand out. He comes from so many years playing in Europe with Barcelona and PSG, (where) strikers receive excellent service and all you have to do is finish the job. In MLS, you have to do a little more,” he said.</p>



<p>“Messi will enjoy his time here. If there is one thing (soccer players) have in this country, it is quality of life. The comfort of knowing that after playing, you can have time with your family and go to public places without so much stress; he will have that. Obviously, Messi is well known around the world, but based on what he is used to, he will live a more peaceful life here.”</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>



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After Messi transferred to MLS this summer, Los Angeles FC winger Carlos Vela offered some words of wisdom to the Argentine superstar.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Carlos Vela"

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Carlos Vela issues warning to Lionel Messi about MLS brand