From RBNY:
News and Notes
• The Red Bulls have posted a 2-2-1 mark in their last five matches against NYCFC.
• Captain Emil Forsberg has recorded seven goal contributions in his last five matches across all competitions, including his first career MLS Cup Playoff goal and assist in New York’s last match on November 3.
• New York defeated defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in two games in Round One. The Red Bulls are only the fourth MLS team since 2005 to eliminate a team in the postseason that recorded at least 19 more points than them during the regular season.
• Forward Dante Vanzeir scored his first career MLS Cup Playoff goal in Game 2 against Columbus Crew on November 3. He scored in the last match against NYCFC.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Sandro Schwarz
On learning from the previous matchups against NYCFC this season…
We know the results. We know how they played against us, how we played especially the last game in our stadium was tough, to the days after the game was tough, but now it's new competition. They have a lot of quality with the ball, and they're also very aggressive against the ball, but we have to find our way on Saturday and in a good direction, a very good direction, and also with our intensity, with our energy, and this is the most important thing for Saturday, and then hopefully to find for us, very good solutions against us. We have seen both games against them in our video sessions, so we will see now how it happens on Saturday.
On the pressure of the first New York Derby matchup in the postseason…
To be honest, in my experience as a player and also as a head coach, it is good to feel the pressure. So we need the pressure to bring our best performance, to bring our best level on intensity, to bring our best level on energy. So you need pressure without pressure, it's not possible. I can't say something about what happened 10 years before. So now it's the situation is in our first year, we have this historic Derby on Saturday, and we are very excited. Our main goal, our main target, is to win this game, but our main focus is now what we need for, hopefully then, to get the result like Columbus. This is our main focus the whole last three weeks. How we can create our performance, our quality in the best spot on Saturday.
On message to the players…
It's a great opportunity for both teams, to be honest. It's great opportunity to play and to have this game. It's a big game, it's a do or die game in these playoffs. The situation is clear, the main focus during the week was more what we have to do on the field, and not so now about emotions. Emotions, we are talking on Saturday before the game, which emotions we need to which energy level we need. But the last days was more the main part, main focus of our principles. We know how important this game is for our supporters, for everyone, to create these atmospheres starts then also in the locker room, in our pre-match meeting.
On a message to the fans…
This is an important game, and also for our supporters and for our employees, for the whole club. What I can say is the atmosphere was great in the stadium, especially in the Columbus game, and this is what we need, and this is also why we are doing this job every day. Why we are working so hard every day, on the field, off the field, that we see people happy, hopefully then to get the results that we see these emotions, and to create these emotions all together, from the whole club, from the whole staff, all the players, employees in the office, all this and that's great. And I'm sure we will try everything on Saturday, but at the end, it's also soccer, we have to find our moments in this game, to find maybe some moments where we can make the difference in these situations. But what I can say is I'm very excited that we have this game all together, and for sure, we will do everything, then also to win.
New York Red Bulls Defender Andres Reyes
On starting the match strong…
I think the first 10-15 minutes, we have to be smart. When we have to play long, we have to. Don't take so much risk in our back line. I think we have to play our game. Play simple. That's it.
On how the playoff match against NYCFC will be different from the previous games against them…
I think when we play against them in playoff it is going be a different game. I think we will have a lot of emotion. This game could be one of the most important for us, so we have to be sharp.
On the physicality and intensity of the rivalry…
We know it's going be a very good physical game, we have to be prepared for that. Don't give chances for them to score. I think we have to be 100% focused every time in the game.