From MLS
News and Notes
• The Red Bulls have posted a 2-0-4 in Leagues Cup during franchise history, including a 2-0-3 record at home.
• New York are unbeaten in their last 11 non-MLS regular season matches at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
• Captain Emil Forsberg has recorded six goal contributions in his last six MLS appearances.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Sandro Schwarz
On mindset for Leagues Cup…
We start tomorrow with the first game in the Leagues Cup. But I think now in our situation is more to have the focus day by day and to see tomorrow also as a chance, as an opportunity for us to bring our performance, to bring that we have the confidence, to bring back in our quality, the belief in our quality. I think that's the main part. And not to talk too much about after the last game after Chicago game. Okay, now it's Leagues Cup, and we want to win this trophy. Of course, we want to be very successful. But for me, the success starts then with the first duel, with the first pass and with the first sprint. I think that's the main part. And this is for me, tomorrow again, of course, Leagues Cup, and so against the Mexican team, that's new. We didn't play so many times in the season against the Mexican teams, or last time in last year’s in the Leagues Cup. So that's different. We have 23 players in our roster. That's good. So the group is together, most of the players in our group, and that's it. But for me, it's more to have the focus in our quality, in our performance, and tomorrow a game that's good to create our atmosphere, and that's a big chance for us.
On Chivas Guadalajara…
They are very aggressive and we have seen yesterday the games in Leagues Cup, so a lot of really good teams from the Mexican league with a lot of good players, and they are very aggressive. So they have a new coach the last two games. What we analyzed and before, it's a little bit different the structure, but now what they are playing is with transition, with speed. So we have to be very aggressive. We have to be very compact and what we did in the past most of the time, which is always very important, the first step and the last step. So that's important. The first step means, okay, you are active, and the last step means you play intensive. And this is what we need for tomorrow, but to have also then the confidence. I think this is what we have to improve. And everyone has seen it, in the last game, in our transition moments when we win the ball. So we had so many situations where we win the ball in the opponent’s half in our midfield press, and then to play very, very clean in our transitions, and then to create our moments, our chances.
On facing Chivas Guadalajara midfielder Cade Cowell…
It’s our principles and defense we defend all together. It's not a man marking situational against him. Of course, when we want to create these duels in the space, and when someone is losing it, okay, then we have to be compact and to be very aggressive that the player next to him is going there and to support him, and then to win this to him. So this is our principle, that's clear.
New York Red Bulls Defender Omar Valencia
On playing against a big team in Mexico…
We're very aware that Chivas is a very big team in Mexico. We're preparing for tomorrow's match and we're doing our best to get results.
On preparing for tomorrow's match…
Well, the truth is that we're very focused on getting results. The coach has given us the best tools, and God willing, we'll prepare tomorrow and do our best because we know, as I've said before, it's a very big team there in Mexico. The truth is that we also have experienced players, as well as great players, so the truth is that it's going to be a great match tomorrow. We're going with God first and foremost.