CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 21, 2020

Miguel Navarro

Press Conference

Q. Came to Chicago and instantly playing a big role with the team and you started the last game. Are you surprised by this? Is this what you expected, to make such a big impact early on?

MIGUEL NAVARRO: Actually, yes, I came to Chicago with the mentality of bringing something to the team, of being a part of this team. I have with my short experience within soccer, I came to add to it, to win championships and to help out the team in any way possible.

Q. Wondering across these first two games of the tournament, what do you feel like you have learned the most just about your teammates, kind of the style of play that you maybe can use moving forward into the next game?

MIGUEL NAVARRO: As far as the group is concerned, we learned a lot tactically. We learned a new formation and we are playing with a line of three and little by little, we are learning new things.

I think as far as the tournament goes, we are learning that it's a very short tournament with minimal room for error. I think that the team -- what we are seeing is the team who commits the least amount of errors is the one that will have the highest chance of moving forward and winning.

Q. How do you feel the team has handled the unique circumstances in this tournament with the early kickoff times and the heat and humidity and the factors like that?

MIGUEL NAVARRO: I think this team is prepared to face anything. We are prepared to play at whatever time under whatever conditions no matter the climate, the temperature.

While we were in Chicago, we were preparing as best as we possibly could. We had early morning trainings. We were really preparing from the very beginning and really there are no excuses.

This group is ready for anything. Yeah, sometimes with the heat and the climate, it's a little bit bothersome, but really we are just ready and we are prepared.

Q. On a personal note, how did you feel after the game you were running and defending and you were very active. How do you feel about the way you played?

MIGUEL NAVARRO: I think that it was a very intense game. We knew that the key was going to be that whoever committed the least amount of errors was going to take the three points.

We didn't have a lot of chances in the attacking end, and we weren't able to take advantage of the ones we had in the set pieces. So there were some details also on the defensive end, and they were able to walk away with three points. But we were very prepared. We are looking forward to the next game and we are hoping that we are going to give the people here something to talk about. We are going to be the tournament sensation and come away with a victory.

Q. You've been down there for three weeks. How are you doing in quarantine? Is it getting harder or easier for you, and how are your teammates dealing with it, as well?

MIGUEL NAVARRO: At first it was a little bit frustrating because you have the sensation of wanting the tournament to kick off and the games to start and the days to maybe go by a little bit faster.

But thankfully things are going well. I have on one side of me is Nacho, and so we drink some latte (ph), we play PlayStation a little bit and I talk to my family, I talk with my daughter, and so yeah, things are going well and things are, you know, getting a little bit easier.