CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 29, 2020

Ignacio Aliseda

Press Conference

NYC FC 3, Chicago 1

Q. It seems like over the last few matches, you've really stepped up and made yourself a big part of the team. How would you rate your performance tonight?

IGNACIO ALISEDA: Yes, I really feel like I've become a greater part of the team. My teammates have really helped me and brought me into the group a little bit more, and the technical staff has shown a lot of confidence in me, so I think I really feel like we're coming together as a group and it was just the couple details that had made us lose the game today.

Q. Since Orlando, seems like you've gotten more comfortable with each match. How has the adjustment period been for you since moving to Chicago at such a young age, new city, new teammates, everything like that.

IGNACIO ALISEDA: Yeah, at first it was very difficult. You know, you're coming into a new country without knowing the language, without knowing the traditions or the customs of the country. It was hard to be around people where not a lot of people spoke the same language I did. And it was hard for me, I think even in Orlando it was hard for me.

But then I came back here and I put my head down and got it into my mind that I was going to try my best to be better for the club and work hard for the club, and I think that's where putting my head down is what's going to help me and what is going to be better for the club is.

Q. What's your preferred position on the field? Do you prefer to be more in the middle or do you prefer to play more on the wing?

IGNACIO ALISEDA: Yeah, I like to be in the midfield better, in the middle. I feel like I'm more involved in the game. I think I'm more comfortable in the middle, and I feel like I can give more to the team. I can bring more than being on the right or the left wing.

Q. Last two questions have been about adjusting in general to the team and about positionally. How do you think you've been able to start to form a good on-field relationship with Robert Beric, despite the fact that you're both new players and because of the language barrier and both of you are still just learning English?

IGNACIO ALISEDA: It is a little bit difficult not speaking the same language, because you're trying to figure things out on the field and give indications and figure out what they are trying to tell you, and knowing what he's trying to tell me. It's not the same as being able to understand your teammate when he's giving you direction.

But I think it's been pretty easy because we are both good players, and definitely I need to learn more English so that I can understand what he's telling me and we can continue to develop that relationship on the field.