NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 27, 2025

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

New York City FC 3, New York Red Bulls 2

Q. How do you view your position if you don't clinch the playoffs and the New York Red Bulls have not missed the playoffs in 15 years?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, that can happen, right now, when you see the result from Chicago, of course, but that is not right now in my mind. I have to analyze this game today, and I think what I can say from the whole team, the intensity, we came back two times but it was then some details, little mistakes which we have done, the way how we concede the goal before.

And I think -- but we tried everything to be honest. We tried everything. We played intensive. We had a lot of good situations in the final third. But then you can see some differences in the final decision to make the last pass or the cross in these moments. And.

I think this was the reason that we lost today when you see the first goal which we concede was the losing ball. After throw-in, second, yeah, we have to make the last step first of all to defend the cross, and then it was a header from per era, and in this moment, the third goal was not necessary to make the foul on the side in a two-against-one situation, and of course, then the set pieces, but it starts before.

In the end, we had our chances. We had our moment. Right now, it's not in my mind to talk about the playoffs. If we won the title in the Eastern Conference this year, we will see. But this is also the message directly to our group. We will keep for ourselves until the end. That's it.

Q. It seemed like some of the early mistakes again in this game. What is it about those moments that needs to change mentally to avoid some of those mistakes, especially early in the game when the legs are not so tired yet?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: For me it was not a point of structure or something like that, but you need the focus. You need the responsibility with the ball, and I would say that the way how we concede the first goal, then we were in our mind the next step in our transitions, and then Kyle was joining then. We lost the ball and then we open in the center, the gap for NYC FC and that's the reason.

But the reaction after, for me, was top. This was good. But I agree a hundred percent. It's not necessary to go 1-0 down in these moments. It's not necessary, and this is what we have to improve every time, every time, because we lost so many times the points in this season because of small moments, little moments, and this is what we have to improve and then especially in our game against Cincinnati.

Q. How will you be using Omar Valencia going forward?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, tomorrow's training session, this is now next moment where he is joining. And then we will see how is the decision next week.

Q. How surprised are you that you guys are kind of in this situation right now, sort of standing where you are in the standings with two games left?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, normally we can analyze and then I'm pretty sure we will have press conference after the season and we will analyze a lot. For me, it's when you compare this to the last season and also the style of play. It's the situation or the game today.

So really, this was -- for me, it was a really good game from both teams, very emotional, so good fights, good duels. But this is only small moments and now we are 43 point. We got last season 47 points, so it's not a big gap but when you can see is, when you compare this, especially now in transition moments. So this is what we have to use more a hundred percent, and I agree a hundred percent, and this is, I would say, this is the biggest difference.

Also today, all the guys, they tried everything, but this is then the final addition in some moments for young players to get this experience, as well. I know now everyone is disappointed maybe not to have the qualification for the playoffs. I am the first one; I am the first one about that. But I would say with some injuries and without some moments what I said in transition, then for me, it's not the biggest surprise now but what I can say is, also, we are trying everything until the end.

So the next step is Cincinnati and then we will see.

Q. Julian Hall scored today. How important is he for the future of this team?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, very important. So young player. He made big steps in his investment. This is also an identity of the club, and also made big steps compared to the last season, more minutes, which is important for these young players and that he is playing more physical in the duels, and this is what we can see today against good center backs from the opponent. He scored.

So he's really very important for us to show everyone in the academy, okay, you have to work hard, and then you will make the steps then in the first team. He is a great player and also a great person.

Q. After the match, it seemed there was an incident involving some fans -- wanted to know if you knew about it --

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I don't know to be honest. I heard a little bit but I don't know exactly that I can say something now in the press conference.

Q. Julian Hall did score a goal this evening but he also had a chance (in a previous game). Did you get a chance to talk with him to try to keep his confidence level up ahead of Cincinnati? Because it seemed to me throughout the game, he did pretty well for the second straight start. Did you have any words for him after the game?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Of course, we talked, first of all, with the whole team, and this is now when we start tomorrow's recovery training and also guys that didn't play today, who is not on our roster today that we have the training session tomorrow, I'm not sure that we analyze directly in formal video tomorrow because now everyone is down. That's normal.

But when we start next week, Tuesday, then we will make individual video sessions and then also to go on the pitch to show some moments and then for the whole team, yeah, this is our job, our responsibility, every time to work hard for development.

Q. What is your message to the team afterwards, if you can give us some insight, and what did you think of the atmosphere of the fans? Do you have a message for them for the atmosphere they created?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: The atmosphere for me was great today, it was really, really great, and also when we arrived here today with the red carpet, it was great. They pushed us until the end. So that was really good. And what I said to the guys right after that I'm not angry in form of how we played today, and we are very disappointed about the result. But how we played with intensity and we have to fight for ourselves right now.

So we are not in this position right now to look on the right side or on the left side. We have to fight for ourselves until the end. This is the main message for everyone here in our club, and I'm pretty sure with the mentality which we have in our group, we will do that, I'm pretty sure. I'm not sure that we have directly tomorrow the whole intensity that we are directly recovery after this game from the mental side but I'm pretty sure when it's Tuesday, new week, and then we have to go for Cincinnati.

Q. Did you feel there was confusion on New York City's third goal? Because it looked like Carlos did save it and it went off the bar and post, and it didn't go in. And secondly, did you feel when Matt came out with the concussion that you could take advantage of Romero when he came in cold?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, the third goal which we concede, I understand everyone is talking about the set piece. I think this is what we can also defend better, and then also for the second ball in the box. But for me it starts with the foul on the side, and that can happen in a game. That's what I mean. In these moments you have to be very smart, especially when you score a goal, and remember, we had this in Portland. We scored the goal in Portland and then after these three minutes then, we need our clear focus.

The second question about the goalkeeper from NYC FC, yeah, about the goalkeeper, so it was then our situation and also to bring John at the end that we have tall guys in the box to bring crosses and set piece. We had some moments, the header. What I said, we tried everything, and I would be very, very angry when I would see the team when they are not fighting or something like that but I can't say this today. It was in these moments, in small moments in detail, you need the clear focus on your target.