CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 24, 2023

Brian Gutierrez

Press Conference

Q. We talked about to challenge the club to be willing to throw themselves more at the ball more offensively and defensively to attack more aggressively and do more what we call those old school soccer things. I talked to Rafa yesterday and he echoed those sentiments. Curious about the teams need to do that going forward and how you can do that as an attacking player as well?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, I certainly agree with that. There are certain instances in the game where you have to throw your body to give it all for your team, and I think that's what he's trying to get to us that we need -- in some instances in the game, we need to just take it for the team and try to do our best and do the dirty work as he's trying to show us.

Q. And if I may, then looking to this game, you were seven the last time the Fire defeated L.A. Galaxy. Curious if that discussion comes up in the locker room, if there's a pressure for you guys to perform and kind of break that streak for two very historic clubs in Major League Soccer?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, obviously I did not know that, I was seven years old since we last won.

But yeah, like you said, it's an historic team, L.A. Galaxy, and we are also a team that have history. Yeah, obviously it's my first time playing at Dignity Sports. It's my first time playing there, so I'm really excited for that game because it's my first time in Los Angeles playing against the Galaxy.

Q. How is the team training during these weather conditions? Are you training inside? How have you been doing it with water these past two days?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: No, we've been training outside. We've been shortening practice but we are still giving it our all. Yeah, it's a shorter practice.

Q. The new player, doom bay, how do you see him getting into the club, his second or third game with the Fire, and how are you introducing him to the team?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, he's a really good player, really good persons will. He's always energetic in the locker room and you like that. You see that and it gives you good vibes for the whole team. I think he's adapted well to the team, and he's showing it's a great addition for the team.

Q. What are your expectations for this Saturday game?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Obviously it's to get the three points back home. That's our mission. That's why we go and play every day, and every game, is to get the three points.

Q. Chicago Fire have three away wins at Miami, Portland and Kansas City. What can the group take from those games into this game against the Galaxy in coming weekend?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: I think in this league, anybody can beat anybody at any given day. That's what we can see what with we can do, I think the team is out there to put our best performance and to take the three points back home in Chicago.

Q. Over the last year or so, and your time on the first team, what have you learned the most and what part of your game do you feel has developed the most?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, I think I have adapted well. I think the transition phases, because this league is a lot about transition phases. I think where a lot of teams give up goals and points. I think that's one phase that's helped me throughout the year.

Q. What would it mean to the group to get a win against the L.A. Galaxy. How significant will it be given the moment of the season we are?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, I think if we get these three points it will be a big message to us and give us a big boost of confidence. I think we have ten games left and in these ten games we have it get as many points as we can and try to get that playoff spot, which is our goal as a team.

Q. How has your relationship with Shaq grown over the two years that he's been here? How do you feel you've progressed in your career as you've been playing on the left side instead of down the middle on the pitch?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, I think throughout the years, it's been -- yeah, he's been good with his teammates and I think he's given good information and good advice to me and started to pick up those spots on the field and I try to get to those spaces where he can give me the ball.

Like you said, I've been trying to adapt as much as possible playing on the left, as I've been playing on the middle throughout the season. Yeah, I think I've developed well and I still need to grow and still need to have more room to improve and stuff like that.

Q. You're around the same amount of minutes as your career high last year. How do you feel your body is doing at this point of the year? Are you positive about how that feeling going forward? It's not easy to add minutes as you're going every year. You're at the 20-start mark and right around the 1,700-minute mark?

BRIAN GUTIÉRREZ: Yeah, I think I've adapted really well. I've definitely grown as a person and I think, yeah, I think I've been doing really good. I've been closing out 90-anyone games for quite a while in the season and yeah, my body feels good and I feel a hundred percent.