CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 26, 2021

Raphael Wicky

Press Conference

Q. We are supposed to be talking to Ignacio in a few minutes. What's his status right now and how is he doing physically?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, he's doing well. He's doing better. He's again back in full team training. So yeah, so we are day-by-day and hopefully everything is well and he can be available for Saturday.

Q. How do you feel right now about the attacking depth? A lot of injuries at the same time, but how do you feel things are coming along right now?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, obviously happy that these players comeback. I'm happy that Fabi is back. I'm happy that everyone is back. Miguel is back. Carlos is back. I'm happy that Nacho comes back. It gives us way more options.

Like I said, we have six players injured, six important players who were all potential starters and that hurt us a lot. That's not an excuse. That's just a reality and they were all out for quite a long time. I'm happy that these guys comeback and that lists the competition in training and that lists a level in training and that obviously gives me more options to choose how to start a game or also how to make subs.

Q. What's the latest an Gastón Giménez? I know he had the injury in the first half against D.C. but going back before that, he has not looked like the same player that he did last season. Is there anything more going on with him?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Not that I know. Not that I'm aware of. No. He is back in team training, as well. We have to see how it is with his first full team training today. So we will see how his body reacts and hopefully everything is fine and he will be available for Saturday.

Look, like I always say, Gastón is a really about player who is very important for our team and who has a lot of quality. Now did he have the best start of the season, no, but he still has a lot of quality and brings a lot of things to the table and we need him. That's for sure. So I'm just hoping that he stays healthy.

Q. Djordje told the league website a few weeks ago that you wanted him to return and expected him to return. What's the backstory with that?

RAPHAEL WICKY: There is no backstory. We had an end-of-season meeting. At that point I gave him the feedback about the season like I did to every player, and at that point, he was under contract here and I told him that I'm looking forward to working with him next season. What happened after, you all know the story. I think the club and him didn't find an agreement and both sides decided to part ways and that's it. There's nothing else there. So there's nothing else to say.

Q. Given that he started the season pretty strongly for Montréal, are there any regrets that you guys let him go?

RAPHAEL WICKY: No, there is -- look, there was never a doubt in Djordje's qualities. We never doubted that. I think Djordje has said that the club made him an offer. We wanted to keep Djordje here but I don't really need to go deep into that now. At the end of the day, I think both parties decided that it's time to part ways and to go.

But we have never doubted in Djordje's quality. Djordje has always showed his qualities here. He's a good player. He has offensive talent and he shows it here and he shows it again in Montréal. I am not surprised about that.

But we all made the decision together and we stick to that decision. There's no regrets. That's football.

Q. Wondering how you generally feel about Montréal's season so far and how assess production and match up on Saturday?

RAPHAEL WICKY: I think they had a good start of the season. I think there you can see that they are trying to do what they start building last year with Saphir (ph). They still try to play a similar style.

It's not really about the system. It's more about the style of play and I see a lot of similarities from last year. It's a talented group of players they have, but again, that's every weekend.

Like I really -- and I really mean that. This league, every team has really good players and this league is very, very balanced. This is a team which has very, very good players, strong players, physical players and it's a good team where you can actually see what you really want. We always respect our opponent, we prepare but we are focusing on ourselves because at the end of the day, it's what we bring on the table and what we are able to do with our possibilities.

Q. Coming out of your first win of the year, how has training been? Has it been any different? Are the guys in a better mood or has it actually been pretty similar to the other game plans?

RAPHAEL WICKY: I mean, the mood is obviously always better when you win. You can probably imagine that. The training has been similar. It's very, very important, that's what I said to the team after game, is it was a very important win and a well deserved win against Inter Miami but there's no time to relax. It's one win and it's a start.

We want this feeling. We want to get used to this feeling every week and so for that we have to keep working hard. There's no reason or time to relax or to think we have done anything. This was a first win and now we just have to continue and be very, very concentrated and focused and that's been the training. The training was good. Focused, of course. Everyone has a better mood, especially in the beginning of the week when you come back after the game two days later.

Q. How would you evaluate Medrán so far this season and his fit playing alongside Stojanovic, in the same formation?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Look, I think it's a little bit like the whole team. There is good moments and there is moments which are not so good. That showed a little at the start of the season. That showed in a lot of games and we showed very good moments the way we played and the way we were organized and there were too many moments where we were not as good and they then couldn't create or couldn't finish or we gave up easy stuff again. I think for him, as well, he hasn't been as consistent as he has been last year and that's what we want from him and that's what we are working on.

But obviously you can see that the relationship with Luka -- I mean, their footballers. They like to have the ball. When they can combine in tight spaces, those guys are very, very good together and they like playing together. So that obviously you can see but I think like the whole team, also, Alvaro has to become more consistent and he works on that.

Q. Except for one or two people you're vaccinated. Have there been any protocols relaxed because that have? Is there a league threshold where you guys can do certain things that you weren't able to before the vaccinations?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, there has been an update with us. There have been certain rooms when we are together we don't need to wear masks again because we are all fully vaccinated.

But at the end of the day, that's also the speech, the talk we had with the doctors and the whole team that we have to be careful because obviously you can still get it, and then also give it to other people. And if you get it, even you're fully vaccinated, it still has an impact on your season. You may not be able to play then. You may not be able to train.

So at the end of the day, when we are together, there is a little bit of things we can be more relaxed but when you are out in public and out in your private life, you have to be very, very careful because the virus is there, and even though you are vaccinated, doesn't mean that you cannot get it.