Cuban defectors might sign with the Galaxy

Remember those seven Cuban defectors who bolted from the team during Olympic qualifying in Florida last month? Well, three of them are now running around the Home Depot Center in Galaxy uniforms.

Goalkeeper Jose Manuel Miranda, defender and captain YenierBermudez and midfielder Yordany Alvarez all started training with Los Angeles this week, and although the red tape and paperwork could be a lengthy process, one or more could be signed if Coach Ruud Gullit likes what he sees.

It’s only speculation, but if the Cubans impress, defender Abel Xavier (35 years old and earning $156,000 a year) and midfielder Pete Vagenas (30 and $138,437) could find themselves under pressure from Bermudez and Alvarez, both 22, before the season is over.

Before defecting in Tampa, Miranda, 21, had been playing for Matanzas, and Bermudez and Alvarez played for Cienfuegos.

The trio would not only have to receive U.S. Department of State clearance before being allowed to play, but also the approval of FIFA since they technically still belong to their Cuban clubs.

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On the other side of the Carson divide, Chivas USA, preparing for the inevitable departure of starting goalie Brad Guzan to Europe this summer, has signed 25-year-old goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, a former standout at UC Santa Barbara.

Coach Preki’s team will be leaving for Columbus and Saturday’s game against the Crew with its first-string strike force of Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo both uncertain of making the journey because of calf and groin injuries, respectively.

Chivas on Wednesday also picked up a couple of conditional draft picks, one in 2009 and another in 2010, in exchange for allowing Honduran midfielder Amado Guevara to join Toronto FC, which plays the Galaxy on Sunday afternoon in Carson.

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The New York Red Bulls took a giant step in the right direction Wednesday with the announcement that Marc de Grandpre, the team’s managing director, had resigned.

De Grandpre, an abrasive character with a very limited background in soccer, did not endear himself to many with his “my way or nothing” management style. Indeed, the clashes between De Grandpre and former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena led to Arena’s departure as Red Bulls coach last year.

De Grandpre said he had been “offered an opportunity I couldn’t turn down” and the Red Bulls can only be thankful.

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Headed goals by Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure and Argentine forward Carlos Tevez onWednesday set the stage for a potentially epic European Champions League semifinal series between former winners Barcelona and Manchester United.

Toure scored in Spain as Barcelona defeated Schalke 04, 1-0, after winning by the same score in the first leg in Germany last week. Schalke failed to clear a cross by teenager Bojan Krkic, who had scored against the Bundesliga side in Gelsenkirchen, and Toure was on hand to head the ball home.

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry said the semifinal series could be difficult, even though his team probably will have the inspirational Lionel Messi back from injury.

“We need to play better if we want to challenge Man United, because at the moment they’re on a high,” Henry said.

Manchester United’s game winner came on a diving header by Tevez, the Argentine striker flinging himself low to the ground to deflect an inch-perfect cross by Owen Hargreaves wide of AS Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni, to give United a 1-0 victory and clinch the series, 3-0, on aggregate.

A missed penalty kick in the first half by Roma’s Daniele de Rossi, whose effort soared high over the crossbar, contributed to the Italian club’s downfall.

United Coach Alex Ferguson, who rested Cristiano Ronaldo and brought Wayne Rooney on only for the final 16 minutes or so, said his team has the guns to get by Barcelona in the semifinals.

“If we’ve got a full squad, we’ve got a chance,” he said. “Somebody’s got to lose.”

Liverpool and Chelsea square off in the other semifinal series.

Times staff writer Jaime Cardenas contributed to this report.

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