New York City FC returns to the field on Friday afternoon, lining up for a behind closed door friendly vs. LAFC.
Facing off against the Supporters’ Shield holders in LA, NYCFC will be out to gain match fitness as the 2020 season emerges into view.
For Head Coach Ronny Deila, getting through the game with no injuries will be the first objective, but the Norwegian’s competitive spirit was also on full display on the eve of the match.
“I always want to win,” Deila emphasized, “But of course we want to get ideas across and, you know, try to learn from the game since we got a tough opponent this last year, the best team in the league. So, we get some good answers tomorrow, but I always want to win.
“We’ve been training a lot – it was a hard week last week; even harder this week and we have a game tomorrow. The boys have been superb. At the same time, we have no injuries.
“This is big of course. We have a couple of people a little bit tired but so far everything went very good.”
Deila has been boosted by the addition of Gudmundur Thórarinsson this week: a versatile Icelandic player, who will join the group pending the receipt of a P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
Although Ronny has never coached “Gudi” before, he’s been impressed with the 27-year old when he’s lined up in opposition to teams he’s coached in the past.
Deila revealed: “Gudi is a very good player – I’ve never coached him myself, but I’ve played against with my teams before. Rosenberg is a very big team in Norway, Norrköping have done very well in Sweden. He is a very good, very intelligent player.
“He is a player that has a good technique. A very good left foot, and he is a very good boy as well – he has a good mentality and can play in different positions. He can play left back, he can play left and central midfield as well, so he will add a lot to our squad.”
With LAFC up next, Ronny is eager to see how well his ideas from the training pitch translate into a live game situation.
“You always get your answers in the games and that's the most important thing,” Ronny added.
“The attitude, the togetherness, as I said before it's been very good. There’s a good mood in the group, so I’m looking forward to the season. We train good and we build ourselves up to February 20th, that's when the season starts and most important game right now.”
Autore: Stefano Bentivogli
Other news - Focus
Other news
- 14:00 Mario Balotelli to MLS? Alessio Sundas Pushes for NYCFC Move in Bold Career Revival Bid
- 12:00 Etihad Player of the Month | Thiago Martins Scoops May Award
- 10:00 Italian Agent Alessio Sundas Aims to Revolutionize MLS with European Talent
- 08:06 Eight City Players Called Up for International Duty in June
- 12:30 Alessio Sundas Eyes MLS Revolution: After Balotelli, Gattuso Could Be Next
- 01:09 Hannes Wolf’s Late Heroics Rescue 2-2 Draw for NYCFC in Thrilling Comeback Against Nashville SC
- 19:00 NYCFC Aim to Reset vs. Nashville: “Time to Show Consistency” Says Jansen
- 18:00 Jansen Eyes Strong Start vs. Nashville: “Scoring First Changes Everything”
- 17:00 NYCFC Aim to Bounce Back Against Nashville SC: Jansen Calls for a Return to Identity
- 16:44 Mario Balotelli Eyes MLS Move: A New American Dream in the Works?
- 06:00 Injury Woes for NYCFC Ahead of Houston Clash: Four Key Players Ruled Out
- 04:00 Jansen Stresses Training Ground Mentality as Key to NYCFC Lineup Choices
- 02:00 NYCFC Gets Injury Boost as Keaton Parks Returns, but Caution Remains for Key Players
- 23:00 Jansen’s NYCFC Looks to Build Momentum With Big Night Under the Lights
- 22:20 Seymour Reid Signs Homegrown Deal With NYCFC – A Star in the Making Joins the First Team
- 14:00 Can NYCFC Ride the Momentum? Quick Turnaround Offers Opportunity Against Houston
- 12:00 NYCFC Extends Unbeaten Streak vs. Chicago Fire with Another Statement Win
- 09:51 Mounsef Bakrar Silences Doubts with Crucial Goal in NYCFC Comeback
- 16:00 NYCFC eye momentum: a pivotal home clash to spark an eastern conference climb
- 14:00 Chaos vs. Control: NYCFC and Chicago Fire Set for Explosive Showdown at Yankee Stadium
- 12:00 NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire: Can the Boys in Blue End Chicago’s Scorching Run at Yankee Stadium?
- 10:54 NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire: Key Absences for Jansen’s Side Ahead of Crucial MLS Clash
- 16:00 NYCFC Trio Named to Preliminary Gold Cup Rosters Ahead of Summer Tournament
- 14:00 NYCFC’s Push for Consistency Could Unlock Top-Four Potential in the East
- 03:00 Donald Trump Reacts to NYCFC's New $780M Stadium in Queens During UAE Visit
- 00:01 Why NYCFC Should Start Managing Maxi Moralez’s Minutes More Carefully
- 22:51 NYCFC Extends James Sands’ Loan to FC St. Pauli Through 2026
- 22:49 Why Pascal Jansen Should Consider Resting Maxi Moralez More Often at NYCFC
- 03:00 Jansen Praises Etihad Player of the Month Keaton Parks: “A Key Piece in Our Midfield”
- 01:00 NYCFC Brace for Cincinnati Clash: Jansen Outlines Plan to Stop Evander
- 23:20 NYCFC Hit with Injury Setbacks Ahead of Cincinnati Clash
- 22:53 Pascal Jansen Ready for Packed May Schedule: “This Is What You Live For”
- 19:00 Jansen Calls for Sharpness After NYCFC's 2-0 Defeat: "We Weren’t Good Enough in the Final Third"
- 18:00 MLS 2025: Market Giants Revealed – Messi and Puig Lead the Pack
- 16:00 NYCFC’s Road Form Is a Disaster. And No One Seems to Have an Answer
- 15:28 NYCFC’s Road Struggles Continue in 2-0 Loss to New England, Pascal Jansen: "The Quality Wasn’t There"
- 15:21 NYCFC Fall to New England for First Time Since 2022: "We Need to Be Better," Says Thiago Martins
- 15:08 Inter Miami Edge Columbus Crew 1-0 as Messi and Co. Shine in Front of 60,000 Fans
- 15:06 NYCFC Signs Forward Zidane Yañez to Short-Term Agreement Amid Rising Trajectory
- 15:05 NYCFC Fall 2-0 to New England Revolution Despite Late Push
- 16:00 Set-Piece Specialists: NYCFC Must Stay Sharp as Revolution Rely on Dead Ball Magic
- 14:00 NYCFC Return to Familiar Foe: Round Two Against Revs Promises Another Fight
- 08:45 NYCFC Aim to Turn the Corner: Road Test at New England Offers Momentum Check
- 15:00 Jansen Challenges NYCFC to Turn Control into Goals: “We Need to Do More with the Ball”
- 08:10 Jansen Rallies NYCFC Ahead of Union Clash: “No Excuses—We Perform, No Matter What”
- 14:19 NYCFC to Host Minnesota United Without Four Key Players
- 13:18 Pascal Jansen Emphasizes Control and Resilience Ahead of NYCFC Clash with Minnesota United
- 14:00 NYCFC Aims for Back-to-Back Wins Against Struggling Revolution
- 12:00 NYCFC vs. New England Revolution: Match Preview & Player Availability
- 10:42 NYCFC Prepares for Milestone Match Against New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium