In this edition of Oppo Research, Hudson River Blue spoke with Michael Battista, who covers the Tri-State Soccer Scene and writes the Open Cup Digest for Hudson River Blue, to learn more about the Red Bulls, New York City FC’s opponent in the Hudson River Derby at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday night. Here is your NYCFC vs Red Bulls preview.
• League Form: W-L-D-L-W
• Record: 12W, 7D, 12L | 43 points, 10th place
• Scoring Leader: Eric Choupo-Moting, 16 goals
• Assist Leader: Emil Forsberg, 7 assists
1. Lack of depth, injuries have hurt the Red Bulls
Hudson River Blue: The New York Red Bulls are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2009. After reaching the MLS Cup last season and bringing in Eric Choupo-Moting, what’s gone wrong for the Red Bulls this season?
Michael Battista: The New York Red Bulls entered 2025 losing close to 10 players from the run to the MLS Cup Final, including fan favorites like Ryan Meara (shoutout to one of the few players to play for RBNY and NYCFC) and centerback Andrés Reyes (just don't ask him about MLS Cup). Not even mentioning that Frankie Amaya left mid-season. Yes, the team has brought in big names like Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Alexander Hack. It made some fans seriously think there could be another run to a championship or at least make RBNY a contender.
But the biggest issue in 2025 has been the team's lack of depth. Across all competitions, Choupo-Moting and captain Emil Forsberg account for 30 of the team's 51 goals. Just two years ago, the 2023 squad saw the top six goal scorers separated by just one to four goals across all competitions. This year? Third-place Mohammed Sofo, who has cooled down greatly in recent months, is five behind second-place Forsberg.
