CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 22, 2026

Anzor Mekvabishvili

Press Conference

Q. Just to get this one out of the way but Mikheil Ergemlidze with the injury today, your teammate, so do you have any message for him and after seeing that news?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: After this happened, I directly texted him because I wanted to know before he made the MRI and check what's going on. And when they finally figure out that it's ACL, so he has to miss like several months maybe. I was so add. I texted him message, and also I put the post for him that he's my friend, he's my brother.

So I hope he will -- and I know that he will come become stronger because he's mentally very strong. Hopefully he will come back.

Q. Coming back to Chicho, finally getting on the field these last couple games, how does that feel to be involved?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I'm happy because of the club because we already clinched the playoffs. So it's very important for the upcoming games. So now, it's kind of preparation for the playoffs. So I'm happy because finally I can be involved in the team. Last time when I was here, you know, we had like two days only, and was very hard to integrate and get adjusted with the team.

Now, weeks here, finally I hope I will start to play more and more, and to help the team, and to help the fans to enjoy the game.

Q. Curious, what has it been like trying to get to know all your new teammates, to develop that on-field chemistry while also doing international duty and dealing with a little bit of a knock?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: Yeah, there was like kind of hard time for had he because it was a lot of traveling, also. Also, this jet lag was like very hard.

But the teams are so good and the players are so nice and so professional. They are helping to integrate in the club very easy, and also the experience and things what I had, like a couple of weeks ago with the national team and stuff because we had very good games against big players and stuff.

So with this, I want to help the team. So I'm ready for any -- any time to play, any minutes, and I'm here.

Q. Do you have any jet lag tips?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: Not anymore. I'm good now because I adjusted now.

Q. Can you just tell us a little bit about, you had two games against some very difficult opponents in MLS. Can you talk to us about how you found the level of the opponents and just the level of MLS compared to your experiences in Europe?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I was in the Romanian league and this league is also very good, and when I came here I saw it was also quality players and a lot of intensity, and I think this league is developing year by year.

So the teams I played against, like Nashville and New England, I think these games are quite good experience for me to know how the teams are playing now. I like how they play because they have very, very quality players. So it means like in front, you have a lot of opponents, and also, good defenders. So you have to be ready for attack on defense, as well. So it's kind of new experience for me and I'm trying everything by myself to train, to be in a good shape to help the team.

Q. Curious, Craiova had a game in the Conference League today and curious what the experience has been for you having helped that team get into the Conference League, League phase, and now not being able to be a part of that journey as you try to integrate with Chicago. How has that been for you having to now watch them after you helped them get to where they are?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: Yeah, kind of happy because I help them to be there. To play in European competitions in Europe for Europeans is amazing opportunity. For the players, if they want to develop themselves and see how Europe is doing, it's very important to have these kind of games because of the fans and everything.

So it was kind of -- a thing that I was like -- I wanted to play, also, of course, because it's a great experience. You play with the top five league teams against them.

But I wanted like new experience. I played there already like one season ago. So I think I made good things there. They are positive on me. Everybody loved me. So for me, it was like the moment that I had to switch something.

So I think that my move here in MLS is like kind of step up. So every step up, every positive, like the step in front for me, is privilege. So I'm not worried about this. I'm just happy to see them there, and I wish them all the best there.

Q. I know that your debut in Chicago is on stand by but might happen next Wednesday. How excited are you about finally getting your game in Chicago perhaps next Wednesday here in Chicago?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I didn't play here yet. So I'm really excited to play here and I'm preparing for this because what I saw from outside from the stands, it's very good atmosphere. So I want to feel the home fans and I want to be happy with them. So it's very important for me how I play.

Let's see.

Q. How does it feel to be playing in a city with so many sports going on? We have the American football NFL. We have baseball. We have hockey. Obviously baseball is already over with but we have hockey. How does it feel to be in the capital of sports in the City of Chicago?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I was following NBA because in my country we don't have NFL and we don't play baseball, also. Hockey is like maybe minimum, like very, very little for us. For me, it's kind of new things to see. So I want to go every kind of matches and I want to enjoy with quite different experience.

So for me, it's kind of new thing also. It's good things to make new things to explore.

Q. We've only seen you off the bench. For fans who have not seen you play, how would you describe your best role and strengths on the field?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I would like to be more like a dynamic player. So I can play No. 6. I can play No. 8. I can play No. 10. So I try to give the team balance. I try to give them the stability in attack, so it's important to have possession, to have more like frontal game, to play more in front to have more chances for the attackers. I'm like very hard worker, so for me, I hope the fans will never see that I don't try because I will try my best always.

Q. And this weekend, next game, you're going from with one Georgia to the other Georgia, the state of Georgia. So expectations for playing Atlanta and against Atlanta United?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: Yeah, I know the stadium because my colleague was playing there. So he told me the atmosphere in the stadium is very good, very nice. So I really want to see how other Georgians, are, the fans and the players are doing there. I think it will be a good game because they have also a very good team, experienced players. Some of them I know because I played against them. Let's see.

Q. And I wanted to ask you about the midfield room, a lot of competition at that competition Anton, Jay, Mauricio, Sergio, Andre. What has it been like competing with that many talented players?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: This is the kind of good thing that I always wanted to be. Because normally when you are trying to reach something, you need a lot of players because you cannot have like three or four midfielders only. It's good to have this kind of experience. Because we are pushing to each other for the limits and for more maybe, to be better, tomorrow's game. I think who will be the more ready for the game, he would play.

So it's not like -- all of them are very good, so for me it's kind of good thing. It's better than to have only one. Like for example, if you play and the coach is warning that you can be replaced or something, so it's kind of -- it's kind of very important thing for the team because these kinds of teams are trying to reach the titles because, I mean, the team is very good.

Q. Do you have a favorite Georgian NBA player?

ANZOR MEKVABISHVILI: I have also Zaza because I was looking a lot, and also now Mamu is like the kind of family friend for us. So when he will come here, for sure I will go to meet him because I think in November they have in Milwaukee, the game is close there, so maybe I will move there or against the Chicago Bulls. And a couple of them Shengelia, Goga Bitadze. I know them. I want to see them here because it's kind of good thing when you meet your colleague there.