El Trafico Ticket Mishap Leaves Bad Taste For LAFC Fans, Youth Soccer Clubs

CARSON (CBSLA) — The rivalry is real as the Los Angeles Galaxy faced off with the Los Angeles Football Club for the fourth time tonight — a match dubbed El Trafico — but it's what happened before the game that left some fans without a ticket to the game.

According to the LA Galaxy, the team refunded hundreds of tickets due to safety concerns. The team was attempting to keep Galaxy and LAFC supporters separate from one another, but this caused an unexpected consequence — youth soccer clubs lost out on a chance to be part of the budding rivalry.

It's no secret that tickets to the game were in high demand, so much so that the LA Galaxy said it caught wind that some LAFC supporters were posing as youth soccer clubs trying to sit in the LA Galaxy supporter sections.

"Due to safety and security concerns for all fans in attendance, and an inability to relocate these buyers, these tickets were cancelled and a full refund was issued," a statement from the team said.

Unfortunately, the ticket take-back had an unintended target — the kids who play with Laguna Futbol Club, a youth soccer club in South Los Angeles.

Robiare Romero, the vice president of the organization, said he purchased 400 tickets from the LA Galaxy for his players and their families. But, two days before the game, he said he got a call from the team saying his tickets were under investigation.

The LA Galaxy has said that the team is working with local soccer clubs to arrange for them to come to a different match.

But for some LAFC fans, the whole situation has left a bad taste in their mouths.

"LAFC have brought a really big supporter culture to L.A., and it's unfortunate the LA Galaxy is trying to suppress that," Fernando Arjon, an LAFC fan said.

In the end, the LA Galaxy won 3-2.