The New York Red Bulls are doing everything they can to prepare for C.D. Guadalajara.
Head Coach Jesse Marsch said the coaching staff has been watching games for weeks, picking apart everything they can get from video analysis.
"It’s a very unique team that plays a very unique style and so we studied them a lot and we’ve been preparing the team and what to expect and what the game plan is, so we have a smart group," Marsch said. "There’s a lot of things that we normally do, but they’ll be some things that we need to adjust to address what Chivas is good at. Overall, I think training and preparation has been really good and I think our team will be ready to go."
Alex Muyl said the team immediately started focusing on Chvias following their most recent MLS match -- with focus during training on how Chivas plays.
"Our coaches have done a great job scouting," Muyl said. "I think we’re doing everything we can on the pitch to re-create what they’re going to do in a game. In a game like this, it’s going to be much more important to really get those details right and I think they’ve done a great job. They’ve gone through a lot of footage, looked at the tendencies of players and tried to give us the best picture of what this game is going to feel like and look like.”
The Red Bulls know they're up against many elements outside of the club on the field, be it elevation, the crowd or the weather.
"It’s at elevation, so that’s always a factor, it’ll be a very fervent crowd and it’s a big occasion, so our ability to stay focused and concentrated on all the details that make us good will be really important," Marsch said. "Against a team that’s really combative to win our challenges, to win our battles to be ready to fight for everything. We have experience in that in big game and we’re going to draw on that again.”
But the challenge is something the team is looking forward to.
“I think it’s a challenge for all of us, especially with it being hotter than we’re used to right now around this time of the year, it’s going to be a lot of elevation so that’s going to be a big challenge and they’re a team, they have a lot of pride and the people that live there have a lot of pride in that team so it’s going to be an intense atmosphere from us," Muyl said. "I’m very excited, I think all of us have been licking our chops for these games because it’s given us opportunities and experiences that we wouldn’t have otherwise."
