NEW YORK — On Sunday, Dome Torrent will get his first taste of one of the most heated rivalries in Major League Soccer when New York City FC host the New York Red Bulls (7 pm ET | FS1 – Full TV and streaming info) at Yankee Stadium.
However, Torrent is no stranger to derbies the world over, having been on the sidelines at FC Barcelona when they played Espanyol and when Manchester City faced Manchester United.
The ingredients, he said, are the same.
“I understand how special it is for our fans,” he said. “Normally in these type of games there’s a lot of passion. We will try to win the game for our fans because right now it’s very important for us because at the end, never forget, we play for our fans. When the fans’ feeling is so proud for us, that means we won the game.”
Torrent said he hasn’t watched previous NY Derby matches, but having viewed the Red Bulls’ last five games, he knows he has his hands full.
“I think they maybe are the top team, maybe right now – it’s my opinion – the best team in MLS because in the last period they play amazing,” Torrent said. “But we have a good team as well. It’s a derby and we play at home and we will try to win the game.”
Torrent said he’s been impressed with Bradley Wright-Phillips, who he calls “an amazing player” who is a strong header of the ball despite not being especially tall.
“He moves amazing to the spaces, he finds the spaces a lot of times, he has a special quality to score a goal,” Torrent said of Wright-Phillips, who has 11 goals in 10 league games against NYCFC.
Collectively, Torrent admires the Red Bulls’ ability to high-press, play between the lines and how they quickly play forward, especially to Wright-Phillips, when they recover the ball, and how they play with intensity.
He said he’s seen that before when he was an assistant coach at Bayern Munich.
“Red Bulls teams play very, very similar,” Torrent said. “They play in the same way 90 percent, they make high pressing, they have intensity in every single ball. It’s the same happening in Leipzig and Salzburg. It’s not news for me because I played a friendly game against Salzburg and when I watch the last three, four games, it’s very similar.”
Part of the tactical plan at training this week for NYCFC is how to properly defend between the lines after they were victimized twice by the Chicago Fire in a 3-2 loss last Saturday. They are also working on better handling the RBNY high press.
Joining Torrent at training Friday will be Albert Puig, the former academy director at Barcelona, who is one of four new members of his technical staff. Assistant coach Jordi Griss Vila, as well as a Francesc Cos, the director of performance and Ismael Camenforte, the head of performance, are expected to join the squad soon, pending work visas.
Not fully participating at training, though, is David Villa, who has worked on the side while recovering from a knee injury. Though his official status is questionable, it is unlikely the NYCFC captain plays against the Red Bulls on Sunday.
“David is training, but outside with another physical trainer, because step by step it’s not easy to recover, especially when the knee is not good,” Torrent said. “But I need to speak to him about that. If he’s not ready 100 percent, he doesn’t play because we have three games in a row — every three days — and I prefer when David plays [with] 100 percent mentality and physically.”
Ronald Matarrita, ruled out of Costa Rica’s lineup at the World Cup because of a hamstring injury, has regained fitness and could be available Sunday. Rodney Wallace, who came off the bench for the Ticos in their last game in Russia, is also an option.
Whoever steps on the field Sunday will get the same advice from Torrent.
“If you want to live the derby with passion, it’s good,” Torrent said. “But be careful, because passion is good, but a lot of passion maybe is not good because you have to control everything — the ball, emotions, it’s very important in these kind of games.”
