CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 27, 2022

Rafael Czichos

Press Conference

Q. Rafa, I know that last week was from a results standpoint probably the toughest week you've had since you've arrived in Chicago. How do you guys bounce back from that and make sure it doesn't continue and spiral into something worse?

RAFAEL CZICHOS: Yeah, it was a tough week, both games with a bad result at the end. But we've been talking a lot about it, and I think -- yeah, I saw the last two practices the team showed already a good reaction. It was a high intensity in our practices, and yeah, I think we have to work this week for Saturday.

Q. I believe over eight days you played 300 minutes of soccer counting the Open Cup game. How are you feeling right now physically and how challenging was that for you to get through those three matches?

RAFAEL CZICHOS: Yeah, it was a tough week, especially for me. But because I didn't expect to play on Tuesday in the Cup game, but yeah, I'm a professional soccer player, and if I have to play or if the coach wants me to play, I'm going to be able to. Yeah, I'm fine now. I feel great. Like I said already, the last two practices, they were intense. But this is what I need and what we as a team need for the weekend.

Q. As a veteran and as a leader, I'm just curious in your past career when a player does experience a string of poor results or a dip in form, what's your approach day-to-day personally to right the ship and how do you encourage your teammates to do so, as well?

RAFAEL CZICHOS: Yeah, it's easy with our team, like to get them back on track because everybody was so disappointed after the last two results. We didn't have to talk so much with the young guys because they are so -- they want to win, and they show it in every practice. But of course I think we made the mistake before, especially me as a captain or as a leader, where we were like more successful. We should have kept the intensity higher in the practice, and yeah, we didn't have a good practice week last week, and yeah, at the end we saw the result on Saturday.

I think everybody knows now what to do this week.

Q. You've got the Red Bulls on Saturday. They've won four straight games away from home I believe and are coming here. What are you expecting from them and how can you guys get three points?

RAFAEL CZICHOS: Yeah, it's going to be a tough game. It's a good team, high-pressing team. It's going to be dangerous for us, especially in the back. But I think we're going to be good prepared for this team. We will like analyze them.

When we play our game, I think it's going to be difficult for them, as well. I'm happy that we are back home and that we can play in front of our fans, and yeah, we are undefeated at home, and this is what we want to keep.

Q. You guys in counting just league play haven't scored a goal in I believe 368 minutes if my math is correct. How much do you guys just need a goal, not just to take a lead or whatever, but just to show yourselves again that you can score goals and take advantage of chances? How important will it be to get just a goal in the match early on Saturday night?

RAFAEL CZICHOS: That would help us a lot, but for me as a defender, my focus is like to defend and to keep the clean sheet. This is what we have been doing great this year so far.

It's not so bad like all of you are saying because we create chances, and this is like the most difficult part, and to make them is like easier than to create them, so I'm not like worrying so much, and I'm pretty sure that also with Shaq back on the team that he will help us to keep scoring.