Emil Forsberg welcomes RBNY expectations: “I know how good I am”

Forsberg says he’s fully focused on that task. His wife Shanga, herself a former footballer, and their two young daughters have not yet made the move from Europe, and he’s put off the task of finding a permanent home until preseason is behind him.

He and Schwarz emphasized the short-term priority of a strong start to the regular season, which opens with a visit to Nashville SC on Feb. 25 (5 pm ET | MLS Season Pass) and continues with a rugged March schedule featuring Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew and three other opponents who qualified for last year’s playoffs.

“It’s always young everywhere in Red Bull, so I was one of the older [players], but I made the journey in Leipzig from being a young guy to being an experienced guy,” said Forsberg. “I’ve seen a lot of young guys come to Leipzig, grow as a person, as a footballer to get better. So I know how hard you have to work and that’s why I think it’s a fantastic match for me as well to be here, to push the young guys to get better, every day to help them, to point them, sometimes, in the right direction. So I mean, I have a lot of pressure and responsibility on my shoulders, but I love it and I’m here to do it.

“We’re going to be a team and we’re going to win as a team, and this is what we have to bring every day to training. And if we do that, I’m convinced we’re going to have a lot of fun this year.”