NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 10, 2025

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

New York Red Bulls 7, LA Galaxy 0

Q. Couple missed chances, how you feeling?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: It's a good feeling, of course, when you have had performance, and it's not only a result. It's more the qualities, more how the play and the intensity with which we played and I'm very proud, especially, of the second half.

So it's not so easy when you have 3-0 in halftime but then to continue the style of play, how we want to play with the same intensity, and that's good. This was our main topic after Inter Miami, especially also the whole season, so to play with a clear direction and to play very aggressive and to have these deep runs, it was great, great to see today and of course we scored in the right moment, when we scored especially in the first half in the beginning 2-0.

It's good but now we have to continue in four days, it's the next game.

Q. Late in the game, players Choupo-Moting and Dennis Gjengaar contributed. I asked you in the week about that confidence. How much better is that knowing they are able to come off the bench and do that?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: That's the most important thing for the whole group, and I said this in the locker room, how we respond after Inter Miami the game, and our Cup game, which was not so easy to play there in Colorado and see all the other guys and to collect all these minutes and to build up their confidence and they are coming also closer to adapt to our style of play, our intensity, and that's good. We need everyone especially in this month and it's good that we have this development as a whole.

Q. Obviously it's nice to score seven goals but you get those first two goals inside 20 minutes, just talk about how much confidence that gives the group after starting a bunch of these games?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, it's always the same. So when you create moments, when you create chances, and then, of course, when you build up confidence, when you score, when you have the result, especially at the beginning with a clear direction to the goal and then you see the quality of Forsberg, of Choupo, it's great how they work for the team, and especially the quality in the final third to see the final pass, to see the runs, these deep runs, all the guys together, to step up with our back four, this is what we need.

Q. The partnership with Forsberg and Choupo is blooming, what can you say about those two gelling and being the pinpoint of the attack?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Great guys, first, off the pitch, and to feel the responsibility for the whole group, they are helping the young guys, especially, and of course, what we said after Inter Miami, and see the quality on pitch with the clear direction, with deep runs and Emil's goal was top, his first goal was top with his deep run, great assist from Omar Valencia.

Choupo made great, deep runs. They have such quality, and this is important to see this, of course, then, on match day.

Q. I know you talked about the attack on the night but can you talk about the defense being able to shut out LA Galaxy and limiting them, and the importance to getting rest to the key guys like Choupo and Forsberg, the importance of that?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, first of all, we played very intensive but it's also my part and my job not to forget that they had also some chances, LA Galaxy, to score, and great saves from Carlos Coronel, but most of the time, very aggressive, backward shifting moments a lot of times.

But they have some chances. This is what we have to improve every time the situation to solve these clearances to play very clean, very simple, not to play complicated or something like that, to have these moments, these rotations in our midfield, to keep the ball and then to find the right moment for this big play, for our vertical play.

Yeah, it's good now, and we protect some guys after 60, 70 minutes, but we have to think, in four days, the next game, and that's okay. But after that, you have only three days. This is what we have to think now. This week, Wednesday, it's not a big problem at the end because four days, that's okay.

But when you see the whole week, directly on the road, you are coming back late, and then on Saturday, next important game, this is what we have to be careful, but we will see tomorrow, to start the preparation tomorrow for Nashville.

Q. It was a big result, and seems like you're kind of, I guess the word I'm looking for is down playing it a little bit. What was the message to the team after, and is the fact that there's another game right around the corner, two in the next week, really, does it really make you focus on the bigger picture, not just so much what happened today?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: 7-0, it's also to talk about what happened today but yeah, we will analyze this tomorrow, this game today. And of course, I said this directly, the next six days here in this month, and of course, we are looking for the big picture to handle the load, the training load, and this is what we have to look for.

Of course we don't celebrate now, this game today. We are satisfied. We are happy about the result. We are happy about the quality with which we have seen today, and our standing with the supporters was great, great atmosphere today. But yeah, of course tomorrow start our focus for the next game.

Q. Obviously we've talked about Emil and Choupo, but will you be even more happy once Lewis comes back officially on the pitch? How happy are you for the future of the season?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, I'm always happy when injuries -- when injury players are coming back. So we will see, Lewis Morgan, I said this in the last press conference, will join our team training session tomorrow with some guys, and then to look what makes sense for him, too, when is the best moment to find the right timing when is an option for us.

But it's good to see the other guys now when they are coming back, when they are close, and also knees guys, Victor, Dennis, Cam Harper came in and followed directly with Dennis Gjengaar. That's good. We need all these guys. We need all these options especially in our offensive line.

Q. You just mentioned Cam Harper. What does it mean to you to see him score this season after the injuries and struggle he's gone through?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, for us, he was also last season a very important player for us. His quality with his deep runs, with his speed.

Yeah, he was also last season a very important player for us, with his quality, with his deep runs, with his speed and to go with the confidence in one-against-one situation on this side, and then he's also able to score and also the final pass, he's there for us.

Q. Congratulations for this game. I know Red Bulls is like a very different game tonight. I remember when you guys lost --

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Oh, come on, I don't need this reminder today when we lost.

Q. But congratulations.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: That's a better beginning (laughing). FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...