NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 4, 2025

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

Cincinnati 1, New York Red Bulls 0

Q. Coach, just wanted to ask you about the change that you made Carlos Cornell the captain for tonight's game. Seemed like it was a late change considering it was announced Emil was going to be captain. Can you just talk about that?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, it was the communication between Emil, Carlos and me then, and then we made all together the decision that Carlos is the captain today, and that's it. Very simple.

Q. Do you think a big player from Europe such as Timo Werner necessary for next season to make it to the playoffs again or do you not think he's necessary?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: That's not my -- to be honest, this is not my part in this game. We can talk about the season. We can talk about this game and to be honest when we are talking about the season, then we come directly to the game because this was typical for our season. And everything, what we are planning with our roster, is after the season.

Q. 15 years of playing in the playoffs, missing out on this one, where does the team go from here?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Of course we are very disappointed. It was very clear after this Tuesday game from Inter Miami against Chicago, the situation was clear on Tuesday night. Then we had a meeting on Wednesday about the situation. Of course we are very disappointed about that.

But what I can say today from our group, from the whole team, also from the subs and also from the guys who didn't play, for me, they showed really good character today because it's not so easy when you go -- when you concede the first goal, then could be very, very difficult. But the way how we played today, in my opinion, was very well. We have to improve something, especially some in the first half, more aggressive runs in the box.

And what I said at the beginning of the press conference, it's a little bit typical. This game was typical for our whole season, a lot of effort, a lot of intensity and a lot of situations in the box, around the box. And of course, this was our point the whole season that we scored two less goals in these situations. That's the point, and also, some moments in our defense.

Q. You guys were in the finals last year, and obviously missed out on the playoffs. When you sit back and look at it, does it lighten the blow a little bit of not making the playoffs, knowing that the team that you guys faced in the finals is in the same exact boat right now?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, I had this feeling, to be honest, that we were very close from the performance side in so many games to get the qualification for the playoffs, and I'm pretty sure that we can also start this run which we had last year.

But now it's a situation, clear, and we can also find arguments and reasons why we are not in the playoffs. It's not because unlucky or something like that. This is what we have to analyze very serious, very clean, and so in our defense behavior, I would say most of the time, very well. So we concede, I think the sixth or fifth in the Eastern Conference, less goals.

But the point is our output. That's clear, our point, in the final third, and this was typical today. It was typical picture today for our season, and I think this is what we have to improve, this is what we have to analyze, of course, with our roster, and that's it.

But I'm pretty sure that this experience, we need this experience, as well. It's tough, this feeling right now. And to come back stronger. And I'm pretty sure with this group, also, and maybe some new faces, that's normal. And then to come back stronger.

I want to say also, thank you, for the supporters today. That was amazing, their reaction after the game, this is also not that we can say, okay, that's normal or usual or something like that. They got a really, really good feeling today for the whole group, for the club, how the reaction was from our supporters today, and this is great. And I want to say thank you.

Q. What do you think is the qualification that you give the team for the season 2025, qualification? 1 to 10 for the whole season?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: The goal?

Q. For the whole season, what do you think was the qualification? (How do you judge)

SANDRO SCHWARZ: We have only game, I think it's pretty clear which place.

Q. In the whole season, what was the qualification for -- what do you think about it?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: What I said. We were in a lot of games very close to win these games, and so now we lost two games in a row against NYC FC and today against Cincinnati. But when you are looking to the big picture, I think a big issue was for us to collect points, to get points on the road. That's clear.

The situation is now clear. Focus on Columbus. This is a completely different game. I love to play against Columbus, against their style of play.

But in the end, I can repeat it again and again, I'm really proud of the guys today, the character, what we have seen. And so can, now it's clear, the season, it's one game to go, and then it's done.

Q. Tonight the players were basically standing around, trying to move the ball around through Cincinnati's defense. Up until Serge Ngoma decided to attack the box; that something you want to see more of near?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: A hundred percent. A hundred percent. That's a clear -- it's not only Serge but it's that a clear individual tactical point. So when you are so dominant, when the center is closed, you have to go on the side. And then to make the right decision to go on these one against one on the side and to have this confidence to go every time in the box and Serge Ngoma did it and to come in on his right foot; but that's exactly what we need. We can't hope every time, okay, Emil and Choupo are there doing this and this. You need more output and more offensive play also from six, eight position to go aggressive in the box, set pieces. Really, we can analyze directly our whole season. Set pieces is also our topic, 12 corners today, no goal. And this is every time, to repeat, to repeat, to improve these special topics, a hundred percent. Very good question.

Q. Noah missed the game with injury.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Hamstring. But I think we will see, I'm pretty sure that he's ready for Columbus.

Q. This New York franchise being in this crowd and market, there's a lot of pressure from the fans and especially for making the final last year. Do you feel any added pressure coming off of this season, and did Jürgen Klopp add anything to the team before the derby or anything?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: No, we had so many conversations. Klopp and me, and then also with Johan and Julia and Mario, Marc. We are in very good conversations to analyze, and everyone can see what was the reason for not the qualification for our playoffs.

Now we have to make very good decisions for the next season, and it starts then directly after Columbus. The focus is to come down a little bit and then the focus for Columbus to have a training session and then to make really, really good decisions. The pressure is normal. Believe me, the highest pressure is from my side, for my -- every time, to make my best job every day. This is the highest pressure. So the organization is great. Red Bull is great. The club is great, these people, and we have to analyze what I said, and then to go all together with a very good energy then in the next season. That's it.

Q. It seems likes Cincinnati had a very organized defensive shape, very clear rest defense and as you mentioned a lot of chances in and around the box but a bit of hesitation in terms of taking shots it seemed. How do you instill more bravery in your players to take more chances and maybe take more shots and less clear-cut parts of the pitch?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, what Gary asked about the wingers on the side and this one-against-one situation. The most difficult is when you are playing against an opponent in such a deep structure also with three center backs and wing backs, and for me, they defend with a lot of legs, I would say. But they are not always active in pressing.

So you find very, very good moments, especially with our fullbacks and with Marcelo, and our ball position was great today. For me, we create a lot of situations. But what I said, what we have to improve, to be more aggressive or to come inside and take the shot sometimes top of the box, and the second ball can come in the box these moments.

But we had one, two situations, our rest defense, how they scored the goal, this is what we have to solve better, and then quality, but at the end, we had a lot of good moments, 17 shots. So 12 corners, then post, a little unlucky in these moments. Enough chances to score and not to lose this game in my opinion.

Q. It felt like Cincinnati was bunkering inside their box the entire match, and with Marcelo Morales, he really looked like he wanted to do some damage for the club, especially at the corners. It looked like he wanted to score from the corner himself.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, but this is normally not the target to score from the corner. When we are at this point, then we have really big problems to shoot directly the corner in the goal. So it would be great when this sometimes happened but that's not our main goal. So we had an overload situation in some corners but then to feel free sometimes to play top of the box because the space was so open.

But Marcelo Morales is a player. He has always confidence in our ball possession, and he played as a fullback inward. So he's coming sometimes inside and he can control the ball and then was good, diagonal play to our wingers. But the output, what I said, in the final third, everyone can see this. This has to be better that's it.