Alessandrini making himself at home with Galaxy, MLS
It’s been nearly two months since Romain Alessandrini left the comfort of Olympique de Marseille, his boyhood club in France, for the unknowns of the Galaxy and MLS. But that’s proved more than enough time to get acquainted with his new home and job.
On the plus side, Alessandrini loves the weather and the anonymity of being a professional soccer player in Southern California. The minuses include too few people fluent in French and too many people on the freeway.
For the record:
5:34 p.m. April 25, 2024An earlier version of this article said Romain Alessandrini struggled while playing in France’s Serie A. The top French division is Ligue 1. Italy’s top division is Serie A.
However, he saved his most rave review for MLS, which, so far, c’est magnifique.
After struggling in France’s Ligue 1, the most defensive of Europe’s major leagues, Alessandrini has thrived in the free-wheeling MLS, having scored or assisted on five of the Galaxy’s first six goals heading into Saturday’s crucial road test with Orlando City (noon PDT, Channel 11).
“Here you have more space,” said Alessandrini, who will be facing an Orlando City team that has given up one goal in three home wins this season. “In France, when you ask for the ball, you have a player in your back. Here it’s a little bit difference because you can take the ball and turn.
“So for me it’s wonderful.”
And unexpected, because Alessandrini’s three goals in five games are two short of the combined total from his final two seasons in France, where he appeared in 28 Ligue 1 matches. The two assists are just three off his single-season high.
Yet for Galaxy Coach Curt Onalfo, it’s just a preview of coming attractions.
“He’s a world-class player,” he said. “He’s not one-dimensional. He can get you in so many ways. He can beat you on the dribble, he can create goals, he can score goals.
“The only thing I guess I’m a little surprised [about] is often it takes guys a while to adjust. And he’s adjusted extremely quickly.”
Quickly maybe, but certainly not easily. Alessandrini, 28, said it took more than a week to get over the nine-hour time difference between Marseille and Los Angeles. And weeks more to handle the other complications of moving to a new country, hassles such as immigration paperwork, house hunting and finding an English teacher for his longtime girlfriend, Fiona Lucchesi.
“Everything is different. And every day I had something to do,” he said.
As a result, he managed just one shot on goal in his first two MLS starts. Since he’s gotten settled, though, that’s changed, with no one in the league entering Friday’s games with more April goals than Alessandrini.
“Now … I know Los Angeles,” said Alessandrini, who bought a home in Playa Vista. “I come [to training] without my GPS. It’s important, you know? I can think just soccer. And it’s better.”
Alessandrini’s comfort and success is something the Galaxy had hoped for a year ago when Jovan Kirovski, the team’s technical director, began stalking the onetime French national team prospect.
Kirovski, one of the league’s most tireless and talented recruiters, was instrumental in the signings of Jelle Van Damme and Giovani dos Santos — and in both cases he relied on a personal touch more than the Galaxy’s fat wallet to land the players. His pursuit of Alessandrini was no different.
“That’s an important step. You go and show how much you want the player,” Kirovski said. “It’s important to meet them face-to-face. Because these players have other options.”
The Galaxy began kicking the tires on an Alessandrini deal last April, when the speedy winger fell out favor in Marseille after badmouthing former coach Marcelo Bielsa, then failing to win over new manager Rudi Garcia, who joined the team three days after former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt took over.
Yet Kirovski was just one in a long line of suitors that included representatives of rival French clubs, Italy’s Genoa and England’s Hull City. The Galaxy’s approach, however, set them apart.
“They didn’t just call,” said Alessandrini’s agent, Yvan Le Mee. “They showed up.”
They also paid Marseille a $2-milllion transfer fee and offered Alessandrini a three-year, $5.4-million designated-player contract, according to Le Mee. And to underscore the player’s importance, when Alessandrini arrived for his first training session they handed him the No. 7 jersey worn by former captain Robbie Keane.
Alessandrini admits he has a long way to go to match Keane, whose 83 goals in 5 1/2 MLS seasons ranks 13th all-time. But through five games, he’s off to a better start.
“It’s a good beginning for me,” he said. “I know I can score every game. I can give an assist every game, you know? Sometimes you’re lucky, some you’re unlucky.
“But I’m happy because I didn’t think it would be like that.”
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