NY Red Bulls - 4, Toronto - 1
Q. Congratulations on the debut. I appreciate that the result wasn't how you would have wanted to turn the debut. Overall, what was it like out there for you playing in your first Toronto game, especially after the halftime switch where Bob switched you back to left fullback.
LUCA PETRASSO: I thought it was very cool. I was obviously quite a bit nervous before the game. I had all my family there watching. It was amazing. I thought it was amazing, the atmosphere was amazing. Just really excited to get going and get my opportunity to play.
Yeah, I started off on the left wing, but I thought I did quite well. Obviously, we didn't get the result. Obviously, bounced back in the next game.
Q. We saw you over in the stands. I'm guessing that was your family that you were saying hello to after the game. When did you sort of find out you were going to be getting the start today?
LUCA PETRASSO: Yeah, that was my family that I went up to after the game. They came closer to the field to say hi, congratulate me on my debut. So that was very nice of them.
I kind of knew in the beginning of the week. I was training with the starting lineup in their training sessions, and we do 11 v. 11, I was put up as a left winger. So I think I had an idea that I was going to be playing this game, and then as the week went on, I was consistently there and training with them.
So I kind of had to get my head wrapped around it to go. But I played wing in the past, and obviously an attacking fullbacker, a wing back. So I was quite comfortable to play in that position.
Q. Luca, just congrats again on the debut. As someone who's played most of your life with TFC Academy, TFC II, now the first team, can you describe your emotions coming into this and playing in front of an almost packed field? Is that the moment you've been looking forward to for quite some time?
LUCA PETRASSO: Thank you. To be honest, I was very nervous. I saw all the fans when we were walking onto the field. But to be honest, it's a dream come true. I remember when I was a little kid, I would do the ball boys in the MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Finals, and in TFC I, I was a ball boy. So I had that dream of playing on the field and playing with the players I'm playing with now, a lot of players I look up to and hope to have amazing careers like them.
But it's a dream come true honestly to play in front of my family, in front of the fans. Obviously, it's just the first game, but to keep on focusing and working to play many more to come.
Q. How have you found the sort of step up to MLS? I know you've had this goal in mind for a long time, but to have to take those final preparations to be ready for it, how have you found that?
LUCA PETRASSO: Not too difficult. I've trained with a lot of the players over the past years and preseason and during the years when I was a TFC II player or coming up from the Academy, I've gotten opportunities to train with the team and with the club and be a part of that environment.
But I have a lot of great players and great people at the club and the staff that helped me along the way, a lot of players that I played with growing up through the academy. So I think it's a great group of guys that can help me along the way, and I'll keep getting better and better each day.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports