The MLS is Back Tournament started Thursday from ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida.
Earlier this week, FC Dallas withdrew from the tournament after 10 players tested positive for coronavirus since arriving in Orlando, but Red Bulls players say they aren't too concerned.
“It's been good so far, the league has put into place protocols so that you do feel safe and comfortable, and it's a matter of if you follow those protocols that everything works smoothly,” says forward and Flemington native Brian White. “So, it's been good.”
White says since arriving in Orlando, the team has been tested every other day. He says life inside the bubble feels like sleep away camp with all MLS teams housed on different floors to maintain distance in the hotels.
“We're doing the protocols to keep us safe, we're not going to each other’s rooms and we're not going to other team’s floors, so I think we're very comfortable with the protocols and safety guidelines,” says White.
With the team now comfortable, White says the Red Bulls are ready to pick up where they left off nearly four months ago.
“We have a very strong belief in this group and the game that we're playing, and we can't wait to get out there and show what the Red Bulls are all about,” says White.
The Red Bulls’ first game back is Saturday at 8 p.m. against Atlanta United. The tournament runs through Aug. 11.