CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 17, 2022

Ezra Hendrickson

Press Conference

Q. Wonder how you guys are feeling as a group ahead of the NYC FC match and how much it matters to you, if anything, that you have to play at SeatGeek instead of Soldier Field.

EZRA HENDRICKSON: So I think it doesn't matter for us as a team. We want to play a much better game than we did leaked, so if it's at Soldier Field or here at SeatGeek, it doesn't matter for us as a team.

Q. Just continuing on that topic, how have you -- what has your opinion been of the playing surface at Soldier Field so far this season, and what have you been told about what to expect once the bears season gets going, which it has?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: So for me personally, I really like to play at Soldier Field. I think the atmosphere has been great so far for all of our home games. Now we have to move to SeatGeek or back to SeatGeek. It will be my first game here. We talked today a little bit -- or I asked the guys, how will be the atmosphere, and they said normally when -- when a lot of fans find a way to the SeatGeek stadium, it's going to be -- it's going to be good, and so I'm excited, and yeah, we will see it. Hopefully a lot of fans will come here.

Q. Looking at the playoff race the last couple months of the season, how close have you been following the other games around the league and what you need to do to get in that top receive especially?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: I know we have nine games left, and we need probably four or five more wins, so that's the only thing I care about. I don't look on Monday or on Sunday how the other teams played, so at the end, if we win our games, we are going to make the playoffs and that's all I care about.

Q. Curious just maybe asking what you guys have done this year to play so well at soldier field, especially lately, I guess what's been the key for the club to be able to have success and do what you say and play very well at home?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah, I think first of all, the fans, they are amazing, like I said. It has been a nice atmosphere in our stadium and they are pushing us a lot. Yeah, and we play with a high intensity at home, especially at home. We try it on the road but of course it's way easier to -- to get the intensity at home. This is the biggest reason why we got most of the points at home.

Q. After a five-game winning streak and losing 4-1, how is the team preparing for the next New York City FC for this game after a loss, and big wins, what's the mentality of the team?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah, of course, the team was really disappointed. We drove to Philly to win the game. At the end, we didn't show our best game, yeah, but we want to show reaction now.

Like you said, New York City FC will be at least as good as Philly. So we have to be prepared for them, and yeah, I hope a lot of fans will come -- will support us, so that helps us a lot, and at the end, yeah, like I said, we want to show a good reaction and want to keep the points here in Chicago.

Q. Ezra told us that it's probable Carlos Terán will be back beside you this weekend. What does it mean to have him back alongside you?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: I love to play with him. He's so physical. He's like a beast, and it's good to have him next to me. He's so fast, so a lot of difficult situations. He has always a good solution and he -- yeah, because of his speed, he's a big help for me and the other defenders, so I -- I'm excited to be next to him again and I hope he will make it.