CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 25, 2022

Gabriel Slonina

Press Conference

Houston Dynamo 2, Chicago Fire FC 0

Q. What were your thoughts on the performance of the team, and also playing in heat that I think was 96 or something at kickoff?

GABRIEL SLONINA: Thanks for having me and asking me some questions. I think the team, we started off well. We had a couple of chances to get in front of the game but obviously the other team had chances as well.

I think the quicker we can start putting away our chances the better we'll have at getting a result out of these away matches.

The heat is not an excuse. Both teams are playing in the heat, so I think that's for sure a challenge but we need to come through as a team and work together and stick to our game plan and make sure that we come out on top.

Q. Aside from the result, how did you feel about your individual performance tonight, a couple good saves, not the result you wanted, but maybe some positives to take away individually?

GABRIEL SLONINA: You know, honestly, I look at the team first. So it doesn't really matter if I make ten saves or 15 saves, if two go in the back of the net, then I didn't do my job to the best of my ability.

But you know, I think it's about, now, recognizing how I can organize my defense to make sure that those two goals never happen and making sure that I prevent any chance on goal rather than having to make a safe or something like that. I think in all areas, I can improve as well. So I don't think making a few good saves justifies my performance or anything like that.

Q. You guys lost Wyatt for at least three months, and could be the end of the season. Just from your perspective, how does that change your job, because you had played behind him I think all except -- all games except for one before this. So what kind of adjustment is that for you as a goalie, and what kind of a loss is it for the team since he had been so steady and solid back there?

GABRIEL SLONINA: Yeah, I'm wishing him a speedy recovery. He's a great guy, great personality on and of the field. It's obviously tough but it's part of the game. I think he's doing his best of his ability to make sure that he's coming back before the end of the season but obviously it's a difficult injury. So you know, everyone I think is wishing him the best because we want him back on the field but I think that we have guys that can step in and play the role because I think that we have the personnel to do that.

Q. With a lot of the attention globally over the last couple months and weeks, whether it be the transfer speculation or the international decision, has a lot of that been difficult for you at 18 years old with so much attention from the press and social media?

GABRIEL SLONINA: It's part of the game, as well. I think the more that things like that, rumors online and everything like that, I think the more I can zone in on my personal performance and making sure that I come and continue to do the things that got me to this point, I think that I'm going to continue to learn and grow because that's what it's about in life, on and off the field. I think it's about learning and using those rumors or anything like that to enhance my game instead of make it worse.