CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 21, 2021

Gaston Gimenez

Press Conference

Q. What was it like having Stojanovic back on the team and how do you think your chemistry is with him and Alvaro?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: The truth is I was really happy to see Luka back and to see the way he came back. It was really hard for him last year, and last year we really lost a good player, which he demonstrated in the game the other day. He demonstrated what a great player he is, and coming back that way after a long injury.

So I think he's going to bring a lot to the team. We more or less understand football the same way with Alvaro and with him. So it's really going to be good in the middle of the field, and I'm really happy for him because he really deserved it.

Q. Saturday has to be a special game for you because you get to face your former manager, Gabriel Heinze. What can we expect from him and is this game any more important because you get to face him?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Maybe the fact of having spent so much time with him makes it so that I know how he plays and he also knows how I play. And that makes the game -- I'm not really sure how to say it, but maybe different for me. But it's not more than that. He has his own way and I've come my own way, and hopefully when we meet up, we'll be able to do things right and come away from that game with the three points.

Q. Thank you for making time for us this afternoon. The first game obviously there were a lot of positives with the team moving forward but at the same point, the same issues that plagued the team last year came up again with not being able to hold a lead. How concerning is that, that that issue started up again right away this season?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Yeah, maybe last year it was a little different from this game because there were just some tiny details. It was a question of small details that made the difference and that made it so that they were able to score, where last year it was more like during the game we ended up defending a lot and then the other team could come and attack and we weren't able to react properly or react in time. So yeah, it was some small errors this game that we were able to then fix during -- during play, and lift up our team. We paid for them dearly but we were able to lift ourselves up and keep going and keep attacking and we weren't able to find that third goal that we needed but we were able to keep ourselves in the game and come away from that.

Q. During this game it seemed like you could have been more involved coming out cleanly out of the back. Was it something that you can expect to improve during the season or is it something so that you don't become a huge target for the other teams?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: I think this game, we didn't really need. It they had really important physical players, and so they were pressuring really well. And we had two big important players up in front that were looking for the spaces and looking to get behind the ball, and looking for that third player up there. We had Beric -- so they can hold the ball really well and look back there and that's why Luka was able to get the ball a lot, he was part of all of that. It wasn't something that we really needed during the game. We didn't need that -- to come out of the back so cleanly.

Q. You've already mentioned Gabriel, but being that you played for him and knowing how he's so, so detailed-oriented, is that something that maybe allows to you know him a lot better, so you know what you are facing coming up? And is there some sort of special feeling for you or is it each one goes their own way?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Really, it's each one of us goes our own way. I always said that I wish him the best of luck and I'm really grateful for what he able to teach me and what I was able to learn from him. But we are now each with -- we each have our own different team and we are each looking to do the best for our team.

And yeah, do I know a lot about him, and he also knows me very, very well. We just wish each other a lot of luck and each one of us is looking to do what's best for where we are right now.

Q. The team did not win any away games last season, which is something I'm sure you guys want to fix. How important is it for you to improve your away form starting this weekend, especially against a team like Atlanta in their stadium?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: It's always important to win so that you can work more easily and also for the team's confidence. I think last year was really an atypical year for all of us, and all the things we were doing wrong we were trying to fix right away during the year.

But this year, we are trying to fix those mistakes and we're a different team this year. We're a different team than we were last year. So it's always important to go out there and try to get the points and then get results, not only for the results but also for the team's confidence. It's always important to win every game, whether you're at home or away.

Q. I don't know what your experiences are playing in artificial term, but I believe Atlanta plays on artificial turf. What are your thoughts on playing on something that isn't grass, and is that something that affects how you prepare for a match?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: It's difficult to play on a surface that is artificial, that's the truth. It's difficult because you're used to natural grass surface where the ball runs more smoothly and on synthetic surface, it jumps a lot. It's more difficult to control. It gets stuck a little bit. It's not a flashy or nice game.

But the truth is we have to adapt to whatever field, whatever climate, whatever circumstances we face. The important part is that we have to play the best version of our game, so it's not going to be any excuse for us.

On the contrary, it's an experience that we have to face and it's something that we have to do. We always have to adapt. So whether it's to a different type of field or to a different type of climate, it's not going to be a problem even if it's difficult because it's just something that we have to do, we have to adapt.

And it's also difficult for them. They might be able to train on it a little bit more, but imagine it will also be just as difficult for them.

Artificial surfaces also bring more injuries, so that makes it also more difficult.

Q. Along those same lines, are you going to use different shoes or maybe have a different kind of warm up or do something differently to protect your knees?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: No. The shoes are going to be the same. What I try to do is adapt my movement on when I stop and when I start and when I go, and my passes to try to focus on passing it the way I want it to go and just really be focused on that. The shoes are the same ones that I've been using all along.