CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic shied away from fueling the psychological aspect of Sunday's "El Trafico" against LAFC.
The Galaxy have been behind in three of the four games so far between the Los Angeles rivals, but have yet to lose against LAFC, who are 20 points ahead of their city rivals this season.
"You concentrate on the game, do your best and the rest is: weak people fail, strong people win," Ibrahimovic said after training on Friday. "I play my game. I play with my feet. I don't try to get inside someone's head or [get them] out of balance by speaking. I play my game. I try to do what I'm best at and I succeed."
A somewhat subdued Ibrahimovic stated he didn't see LAFC thrash San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday and isn't keeping track of the race for the Golden Boot, in which LAFC's Carlos Vela is now six goals ahead of him.
"No, [I don't keep track], I try to help my team as much as possible, he does the same thing and that's our job, to score goals, create chances," said the 37-year-old striker. "One week one scores more, the other week the other scores more, so it's all about the continuity, doing it the whole season."
Galaxy coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto is adamant that despite the difference in points between the two teams, LAFC aren't a long way ahead of his team and others in MLS, pointing out that they lost to the last-placed Vancouver Whitecaps earlier this season.
"LAFC's numbers are very good, yes, but the Supporters' Shield winner doesn't always win the MLS Cup," stated the former Boca Juniors coach on Thursday. "We need to recognize they are a very good team, [at a] high level, but we are a good team."
The Galaxy have put up provocative Ibrahimovic billboards close to Banc of California Stadium ahead of Sunday's game, with the team's midfielder Sebastian Lletget more direct than teammate Ibrahimovic in stating that he believes the Galaxy are inside LAFC heads.
"We like to think that [we're inside their heads]," he said on Thursday. "We go in thinking we have that advantage, that mental edge. That's kind of our style, how we approach games. It shows, especially against them."
LAFC forward Vela is hoping to finally come out of "El Trafico" on the winning side in his fourth appearance.
"It's one more game, but when you play against the other team in the city, you want to do your best, you want to win and show that you're better than the other team in the city," said Vela on Friday. "It's a good chance to show how good we are this season. I hope we can finally get the three points and enjoy a game."
