CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 27, 2022

Mauricio Pineda

Press Conference

Q. How does it make you feel to know you're having such a big impact on the team?

MAURICIO PINEDA: Yeah, that's an interesting stat. I think it's obviously a great feeling. I think any time I'm on my feet or on the field, I try to do as much as possible to help. It isn't necessarily all just because of me. Obviously some results go one way or the other whether I'm on the field or not.

But yeah, any time I get the chance to be the field I try to do as much as possible to get the first three points. That's the most important. But yeah, just to pick up as many points.

Q. You guys have had so many ups and downs this season. It's been a roller coaster, basically. How have you guys stayed steady and calm through all of it, or have you guys even stayed calm through all of this? Basically I'm asking, how have you guys stayed steady through this entire season.

MAURICIO PINEDA: I think the performances that we've been putting out in games for the most part have been really positive. It's really difficult to keep going like that when you're performing really well and some results just don't go your way. And coming out from some of these games, you come out with a positive mentality, stayed positive as a team because we are doing some things right.

So I think that's something that's keeping us together and like you said, some of these games, and yeah, take it to the game plan that we are all trying to build.

Q. Good afternoon. We just talked to Ezra and I asked him about what the team has done to be able to rebound from that Columbus loss and have a three-game winning streak, and he mentioned a meeting the time had after the Columbus lost. What do you remember about that and how much did that galvanize you to have this nice stretch of winning here this last week or two?

MAURICIO PINEDA: Yeah, I think it's important to reflect after -- after certain games like that whether it's a win or a loss. Sometimes you just need to reflect as a team, say some things that need to be said, and I think we agreed as a group that I think everyone on the team can do a little bit more.

So I think after that game, we agreed that we have to self-reflect more than anything and see if we are really doing everything possible for the team to come out on top after every game and doing that and every training session, every game obviously and everything that you're doing to prepare for training every day.

So I think that's something that was really important that needed to be said, and needed it to be talked about. Some of those things don't always work if you don't take it seriously and put into action in training and games.

But like I said, the team took that really well and has shown more positive moments since that game.