CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 16, 2025

Gregg Berhalter

Press Conference

Q. So coming into this game against New England, you're in a position where you don't exactly know what you're going to be playing for because you don't know what the results will be elsewhere. How are you approaching this? And also, knowing you might have a game in three days but might not have another game for eight days.

GREGG BERHALTER: For us it's the same as always: Business as usual. We want to go have a good performance and really focus on the performance side of it. That's what's going to be most important.

I think if we can do that, you know, we can get the result we need. Having said that, we know New England is going to want to end their season well. We know it's their last home game. We know they've have had a disappointing season. They want to make things right by trying to win their last game.

All these factors are at play. For us it's really focusing on our performance.

Q. I also wanted to ask about Christopher Cupps going to the U17 World Cup. I know that wasn't a certainty throughout the season. Now he's going to be part of that ridiculously talented group. Any thoughts on him going to that tournament?

GREGG BERHALTER: We're excited for him, excited for the group. You know, we saw at the U20s that we can come close and now hopefully we can make the next step by winning a quarterfinal, getting into the semifinals, and maybe getting into a final and hopefully winning it.

That's easier said than done. It easy for me to sit in this spot and say that. The harder thing is to it. We wish both Chris and the team well.

Q. Gregg, looking at New England this weekend, it is the third time you guys will go against them. Thinking back to the game in September where it's two goals conceded late, still in the win. What are some focus points against a team that while they have nothing to play for, those are typically the most dangerous sides on decision days?

GREGG BERHALTER: They have quality. We know they have quality up top. They have good midfielders. They have a really good playmaker, good players in wide positions. Obviously the goalkeeper and parts of the back line are really good.

So it will be a difficult game. It's like every game in Major League Soccer. You can't take any game for granted. Every team you can lose to, but every team you can beat.

For us it's about identifying areas of weakness that they have and trying to exploit that.

Q. So looking at New England as an opponent, there is that two-week international break and then you're back for this one game. Is there an element of this is creating almost like a preseason for the postseason of making sure that guys are locked in for that, and also trying out some different stuff on the pitch that may be useful going forward?

GREGG BERHALTER: You know, I think you could look at it a number of different ways. We're not making it that complicated. It's really just another game for us, and we're trying to play a good game. Really it's that simple.

Again, the more we complicate it, I think the more difficult it will be to actually perform. For us it's about how do we go prepare to win a soccer game knowing we have a difficult opponent to play against.

Q. Gregg, aside from all unknowns of Saturday, how excited are you and your staff and do you want the team to be for what comes next? Obviously you will take care of business as best you can on Saturday, but then you get to this kind of entirely different animal that is the playoffs. How excited are you? How excited do you want the guys to be for when they get to that spot?

GREGG BERHALTER: Well, I think that would be getting ahead of ourselves. I know I'm probably so boring and you're really tired of hearing me talk, say the same message over and over and over again.

It's really about Saturday. We're not game planning for a potential Wednesday. Our focus is on the game at Foxboro. We want to finish the season strong. We want to win the game, put ourselves in a good position, and see from there.

When we get to the playoffs we'll do the same thing. We'll be ready to compete.

Q. In the middle of the season in summer, you mentioned the competition, all the players that you brought, a form of competition between the team. You mentioned also finish strong. You see this team going strong into the playoffs. If you have any updates on injuries?

GREGG BERHALTER: You know, knock on wood we have no injuries besides Andre, which is still a shame. When I look at training this week, if you put an A team against a B team or mix up the teams, it's so equal and everybody is competing at a high level.

That's what I've been most excited about. We can easily pick 18 starters for this game. That's how competitive training has been. Our job this week has become really difficult because a number of players are doing a great job.

So what we know is that we're going to disappoint some players, and we also know some players will have the opportunity to prove us wrong when they get subbed in.

So there is a lot to take in after this week of training.

Q. Hey, Coach, obviously you guys have been on a pretty good roll lately. As you enter this final phase, the game and the playoff game upcoming, what concerns do you still have about the club? Is it obviously minimized from what it was previously a month ago or so? Is there something you still feel the team needs to work on in preparation for the next upcoming two games?

GREGG BERHALTER: We need to keep working on everything. I don't think we're completely there in any phase of the game. We've been improving and that's the most important thing. When you see our form at the end of the season it's been really good. I don't think there are too many teams in the Eastern Conference that have picked up as many points as we have in the last 12 games.

That's a good thing. We want to bring this form into the last week of the season.

Q. Regardless of Saturday's result, what's the message to the fans, that after seven long years without making the playoffs, the team is finally back to the big dance? We know that it's going to depend of Saturday's result if they'll get one or the whole series, but what's the message so far?

GREGG BERHALTER: You know, I just am really thankful for the fans. We hadn't had the home record that we would have liked this year, but they were always behind us. I think that the last game was the best game in terms of the atmosphere and the fan support and how loud they were. That's what type of atmosphere we envision having week in and week out.

So I want to thank the fans. They've been behind us all year, and we are really glad we are able to deliver this bit of happiness and hopefully we can deliver some more.

Q. Coach, thanks for your time. What has been your impression of Pablo Moreira taking over the team the last four games of the season? What qualities does he have and what do you think of the work he's done so far?

GREGG BERHALTER: Yeah, you know, I don't usually comment on the performance of other coaches. That's not my style. I leave it up to you guys to do that.

What I would say is that coaching profession is difficult. I know the conflicts sometimes when an assistant coach takes over for the head coach. You know, it's never an easy situation for all.

But I would probably leave it at that.

Q. Gregg, you talked about competition at multiple positions. In the wake of Andre Franco's injury, how refreshing is it to have that much competition in the midfielder specifically when guys like Sergio Oregel have had up and down seasons, Romanique Kouame has struggled to stay on the pitch, and Maury Pineda has had good moment and also some lower moments. Just to have all those guys really competing at this time of year.

GREGG BERHALTER: We need that. We need bodies. We need guys that can come in and do a job and I think compete in training, keep the level of training high and wait for their opportunity.

All of them have gotten opportunities this year and some have been on the field more than others. We appreciate all the hard work the group has been doing in the last couple weeks.