Red Bulls Boss Sandro Schwarz on ‘Creating Emotions’ in the U.S. Open Cup
Michael Battista sat for a chat with head coach Sandro Schwarz about his Red Bulls (MLS) entering the U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32 and the importance of building atmosphere, emotion and identity
By: Michael Battista
The New York Red Bulls are one of 2025’s more interesting teams across Major League Soccer. With additions to the squad like Bundesliga champion forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the likes of Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg becoming major forces, and a historic season last year to build on – a lot of eyes are squarely focused on Harrison, New Jersey.
But lost in the shuffle might be the man on the other side of the touchline, Sandro Schwarz. The German has been touted as one of the most underrated bosses in the U.S.’ top flight right now. Taking a team to a first MLS Cup Final for a decade and a half will do that.
Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg are important pieces in Schwarz’ RBNY puzzle
For the 46-year-old Schwarz, while winning is always a goal, he’s been focused also on creating memories. Forging emotions that will last a lifetime for himself, his players, his staff – and for whatever fans support the teams he works for.
“It's not only the big picture, the trophy, for me – it's more to have the history, to have the emotional moments together. That's, for me, more,” Schwarz explained, taking a break from a mid-week training session with his Red Bulls. “Play for the result…but to have these emotions, to create these moments all together, that's my biggest target and my biggest wish for the club.”
All Eyes on New York
As one of Major League Soccer’s founding clubs (originally under the name of the MetroStars), the New York Red Bulls are always going to be looked at differently. Now playing their 30th season, and entering the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for a 24th time, they’re still looking to win a first non-Supporters’ Shield trophy. “We are looking now for the next game, and the U.S. Open Cup is a big chance for us also to be successful,” Schwarz said.
It also helps when big names join the team. Besides the aforementioned Choupo-Moting, Schwarz’ former Mainz teammate and coach joined Red Bull GmbH as Head of Global Soccer. That would be one Jürgen Klopp, the former Champions League-winning manager of Liverpool and one of the greatest minds in the history of the sport. The connections continue with other additions such as centerback Alexander Hack, another former Mainz man who played under Schwarz in Germany.
The Red Bulls have had their time in the spotlight, winning the Supporters’ Shield three times and have come close to hoisting the United States’ national club championship (the Open Cup) twice – reaching the Final in 2003 and 2017. The team’s last big run in 2022 ended with a blowout loss in the Semis to eventual champions Orlando City SC down in Florida.
But Schwarz wasn’t there for those games. In fact he wasn’t even part of Red Bull Global. When he crossed the Atlantic in December 2023, it marked his first time working with the organization.
In his first season, he helped lead the Red Bulls to the MLS playoffs. On the surface, it might not seem that special considering the club has made the postseason for 15 straight years, the longest active streak in North American men's pro sports. But Schwarz and the group knocked off defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in the first round, crushed Hudson River Derby rivals New York City FC, and beat 2022 Open Cup Champions Orlando City SC to win the organization’s first-ever Eastern Conference title.
Sandro Schwarz during his time coaching at Mainz – the club he supported from boyhood
After that game, the usually reserved coach told every fan that this is why he’s here. To win games, in large part, for them.
“This is the main part of why I'm doing this job. To come with my whole coaching staff, with the players, to work every hour to see smiling faces after the game,” Schwarz said following last year’s playoff win in Orlando. “It's not only a tactical point or the video session or the training session, or the practices on the field, it’s to create this kind of atmosphere.”
Not Underestimating the Little Guy
While New York is coming off an appearance in MLS Cup, their Open Cup opponents are also coming off a Rocky Mountain High of 2024.
Schwarz understands exactly what kind of emotions Colorado Springs – the winner of last year’s USL Championship Final – will be facing in the Round of 32.
“It’s the same in each country. It's always the same when you are coming from the first [division], the MLS, you are the favorite, so that's clear. But it's not important,” Schwarz insisted. “You have to play very seriously. [The Switchbacks are] a good team. They were very successful last season. We were also very successful. But now it's this competition. It's the first round [for us], and at the end we have to decide what happens [in] this game.”
Schwarz wants to deliver a first knockout trophy to RBNY – and big emotions to boot
When Schwarz says it's the same in each country, he knows from experience. When he joined the Red Bulls in December of 2023, it marked the third continent he’d managed on. Previously, he’d led teams in his native Germany such as childhood club Mainz 05 and Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga – also spending two-plus seasons with FC Dynamo Moscow in Russia.
During the 2021-22 season, Schwarz and Dynamo ran the gauntlet of the Russian Cup, that country’s version of the U.S. Open Cup. That included a chaotic Quarterfinal with second division side, FC Baltika Kaliningrad, where his top flight team allowed a late equalizer and were forced to win via penalty kicks.
“It is very important to handle these emotions and also to handle this pressure because everyone expects, ‘OK, it's clear that you are winning the first round’. But this is what I say: It's not important what you are feeling before the game or that you are the favorite or something like that. When it's kickoff, start time, then you have to be ready.”
Dynamo went on to lose in the 2022 Russian Cup final to rivals FC Spartak Moscow 2-1.
“It was hard, very emotional, but also for the supporters,” he said, trying to find a smile from the memories. “For our supporters now, for our Red Bull supporters. It's also a great competition because you have a lot of emotions. You can create a lot of emotions and it's a connection when you win games and when you can play in a final.”
Background in Lower Division
Schwarz won’t regale you much with tales from his time as a player. More often than not, he’ll add a footnote to say he wasn’t really that good (his words, not mine).
At 17 years old, he joined his hometown club 1. FSV Mainz 05, better known simply as Mainz. There, he’d spend the majority of his playing career. It was the same club he watched play in the lower divisions of Germany (Oberliga Südwest) and second division 2. Bundesliga. Those memories include games against Bundesliga competition in the DFB-Pokal (Germany’s equivalent of the U.S. Open Cup).
“Every one is exciting!” Schwarz enthused about those Pokal games, playing up against teams from a higher division. “Everyone, the opponent, the supporters, are excited – they [can be] a big surprise for these clubs and you have to be ready…The supporters have this competition, when it's between the different leagues, when in one game, everything can happen. It's only one game. But everything can happen in this game.”
That might be why he knows exactly the kind of mindset Colorado Springs might be in right now. Schwarz doesn’t have to pretend to know much about the Switchbacks themselves. He’s only been in the United States for a year and a half. But lower division opportunity, the chance to have your moment on the field, transcends borders and languages.
“It's difficult. The result is the only thing – it's not that you have to play the best performance with the best quality,” he said. “The most important thing is, like in the playoffs, the result. The result at the end.”
Circling back to his on-the-field days, the tailend of that playing career took place in the 2008-09 season with 2. Bundesliga side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. In that year’s DFB-Pokal, Wiesbaden reached the tournament quarterfinal and faced off against legendary side Hamburger SV. Of course, the higher division team won. But an 85th-minute goal gave the 400 traveling Wiesbaden fans more joy than they could have ever imagined.
That goal was scored by Schwarz, one of only six in his over 200 appearances as a professional player.
“That's a great moment, for sure. These Cup games, it's a big chance for each individual player and also for the group to write your own story,” Schwarz said. “To give these moments. We were fighting for the chance from our side, as the underdog… it was great and this is what I said. It's good to have these emotions all together. To create these emotions.”
It isn’t in Schwarz’ nature to underestimate opponents. Come Tuesday night, sandwiched between a match against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and an MLS Cup rematch versus LA Galaxy, the thoughtful coach and his group will treat the Open Cup’s Round of 32 like they do every other game. A chance to create memories, for players, coaches and fans. For all, really.
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