Red Bull New York have repeated a refrain with each approaching match as the 2026 Major League Soccer season winds down. There is a unified approach from head coach Michael Bradley and the players: treat every match like it’s a final.
“We are a great team as well but we’ve got to show it on the pitch,” Red Bull New York captain Emil Forsberg told South Ward Central. “The opportunity is there for us and we’ve got to be able to be there when it comes. It’s four very important games for us now — it’s four finals.”
Whether it’s a veteran like Forsberg who has experienced several deep playoff runs or a youngster like 18-year-old prodigy Julian Hall who was on the bench when Red Bull New York reached MLS Cup 2024, every player knows the stakes of these four defining matches.
Hall: ‘We’re Going to Do Whatever It Takes’
“Right now, we have no choice really but to push hard,” Hall said. “I think throughout the season our mentality has always been the same. When it’s all or nothing, I think we already have that collective mindset that we’re going to do whatever it takes on the field, and whatever happens because we know we put everything out onto the pitch.”
The Red Bulls enter Saturday’s monumental home meeting with defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. With only three points separating ninth position and 13th place, every point will be crucial in determining whether the Red Bulls squeak into the MLS Cup playoffs or miss the postseason for a second consecutive season.
Bradley: ‘We’re Looking Ahead With Real Positivity, Real Energy’
Bradley sees the hunger in his players,who are inspired to deliver on the pitch.
“I see a group that’s excited by the part of playing really important matches at the end of the year with a lot on the line,” Bradley said. “MLS is still a league where things are competitive and the difference between the top and the bottom is not big.
“We feel good at the end of the year knowing that we have big games to play where we can finish things off in a really positive way and move ourselves into the playoffs with real momentum. So we’re looking ahead with real positivity, real energy, real excitement and making sure that when the whistles blow in these games we have a group on the field that’s ready to go after it and do everything that we need to for 90 minutes to take the results and the points that we need.”
Red Bulls Are Prepared for ‘Different Version’ of Lionel Messi
Bradley is prepared for a different version of Lionel Messi. Since Kily González took over Inter Miami in late August, he has opted to play the two-time Landon Donovan MLS MVP higher up the pitch as opposed to the deeper transition-initiating role under previous head coach Javier Mascherano.
“I think Kily González has in a short amount of time, given the team some new ideas for sure,” Bradley explained. “If you compare certainly to Javier Mascherano’s team that we played against early in the year, as we watch, there are differences for sure in terms of the way that they play, how they set themselves up.
“I think Messi’s role is also a little bit different, even though we all understand very well that the greatness and the quality of Messi is still his ability to read the game and understand in any given moment how to affect things based on what he sees.”
Messi leads all MLS players with 25 goals and shares the assist lead (15) with Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min. Bradley has tremendous respect for Messi’s otherworldly read-and-react ability.
“That part is still incredible, and so I would imagine that he still has big freedom to do that,” Bradley said. “But again, we still see differences in terms of how they set themselves up around him, and so we’ll be ready. Obviously, what doesn’t change is the fact that they have a really good team, they have a lot of really good players, and we know it sets up to be a really big game in our stadium.”
Red Bull New York and Inter Miami Lineup and Injury News Ahead of Saturday’s Match
Bradley confirmed on Thursday that defender Justin Che would miss Saturday’s match. It was later confirmed that the 22-year-old defender suffered a knee injury. There is no further update on Che’s timetable at this time.
UPDATE: 4:30 PM:
Red Bull New York announced the following starting XI vs. Inter Miami:
Horvath, Nealis (C), Bazán, Parker, Padelford, Donkor, Mehmeti, Sofo, Ruvalcaba, Hall, Cowell.
Subs: McCarthy, Choupo-Moting, Dos Santos, Forsberg, Harper, Kone, Marshall-Rutty, Mosquera, Ruiz.
OUT: Justin Che (knee)
UPDATE: 4:35 PM:
Inter Miami announced the following starting XI vs. Red Bull New York:
Inter Miami will be without defenders Fricio Caicedo, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, and Maximiliano Falcón, who is suspended. Attackers Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti are both ruled out due to season-ending injuries.
St. Clair, Regulion, M. Silva, Casemiro, Lujan, De Paul, Galarza, Ayala, Berterame, Fillipi, Suarez (C)
Subs: Rios-Novo, Mura, Segovia, Fray, Shaw, Morales, Messi, Bright, Pinter
OUT: Tadeo Allende (knee — SEI), Mateo Silvetti (shoulder — SEI), Fricio Caicedo (lower body), Maximiliano Falcón (suspended)
Where To Watch and Listen to Red Bull New York vs. Inter Miami
Red Bull New York and Inter Miami are scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. Eastern time kickoff at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The match will be carried on Apple TV.
Keith Costigan will handle English play-by-play duties alongside match analyst Maurice Edu. Alejandro Figueredo will provide Spanish play-by-play and be joined by Tony Cherchi.
Fans can tune into Red Bulls Radio at 5 p.m. Eastern Time starting with “Countdown to Kickoff.” Matt Harmon will be on the call alongside former New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Red Bull New York fan favorite Steve Jolley.
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