CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 11, 2022

Gaston Gimenez

Press Conference

Q. How are you feeling and how is the group feeling ahead of the Philadelphia game this weekend?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Yeah, the truth is we feel really good. The group feels really good. We worked really hard during this week so that we can go and get three good points in a very difficult game that is going to be against Philadelphia. So we are going in there hoping that things go well and that things come out the way we planned.

Q. Philadelphia is a very strong opponent but your team recently has demonstrated that you can go out and win on the road. What's your opinion or how is the team prepared for this game against Philadelphia?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Well, we've prepared for this game just as we prepared for all of our previous games, both as visitors and at home. Yeah, we've had some bad streaks and bad luck on the road and now we are riding on a good streak. But yeah, one always knows that it's a little bit harder to play on the road than it is to play at home, especially against a very physical rival who plays very direct and they are well-situated on the table.

But we are going to go out there. We know it's going to be a hard game. It's going to be a good game, very complicated, but you have to fight and I think in this league, you've seen that every game is an opportunity to win. It's a very equal, even league in which any team can win on a given day, and so we are going to be in the fight.

Q. It's been fun seeing the photos of your baby growing up on Instagram. I wonder how becoming a dad has changed you as a person and if it's changed you as a player at all.

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Yes, of course, it's very awesome. It's great to have that, watch my son grow up. It's a very big responsibility in my life and obviously it's now other responsibilities off the field.

On the field, it's an extra motivation. I try to play my best for him, for my wife, for my own family but I'm very happy. It's a really precious moment that I'm living in my life right now. I'm really enjoying it a lot. That question made me smile because it's really a happy moment that I'm going through right now and when I go on the field, I try to do my best for them being obviously for the club, the team, as well. But they are an extra motivation; that's my family.

Q. The addition of players like Chris Mueller and Jairo Torres have seemed to help the emotional level of the team or have played a big part. How have those players collaborated with you and how have they worked with you and what have they brought to the team?

GASTÓN GIMÉNEZ: Yeah, well, the players that have arrived, Chris, Jairo, Rafa Kacper -- I'm trying not to forget anyone, they have really come in and they have really brought a lot to the team, and not only on the sporting side, but maybe the most important part is what they brought into the relationships. They have created good relationships with the group both on and off the field, so both in the sporting side and in the locker room. I think sometimes that really helps because when you get out on the to field, it's something that's a little bit more automatic. Those relationships are more automatic because of the feeling that you've already created in the locker room. They have all had good performances up to this point and hopefully it's going to be that way all the way to the end, and together we are going to fight to meet our goals. FastScripts by ASAP Sports ...