Mar 14, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Red Bulls defender Justin Che (2) gestures to the referee as Toronto FC defender Raheem Edwards (44) covers him prior to a corner kick in the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Red Bull New York defender Justin Che’s strong start with his new club has been put on hold with a hamstring injury that will hold him out for at least Saturday’s match against Charlotte FC, head coach. Michael Bradey confirmed on Thursday.
The 22-year-old center-back, who was signed from Danish side Brøndby in December, had started each of New York’s first four games of the MLS season, and looked particularly reliable at the heart of the defense with either Dylan Nealis or Robert Voloder serving as his center-back partner.
Nealis tweaked an ankle prior to New York’s 3-0 loss on March 8 to CF Montreal and is “making good progress” to the point where, as of Thursday, he could be a game-time decision. When asked about Che, though, Bradley admitted that he would be out “a little longer.”
“We’re still working with our medical team and trying to make sure that we’re on top of it in the best possible way,” Bradley said. “But he is going to be out for the weekend, and we’ll provide a better update at some point when there’s a little bit more clarity.”
Berggren still acclimating to new system
Gustav Berggren, the veteran Swedish holding midfielder signed from Polish side Raków Częstochowa, has played a grand total of 16 minutes across two substitute appearances in New York’s first four games of the season.
Opportunities have grown thin in a flash, mostly because of the emergence of 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti, who has the makings of quickly developing into a complete No. 6 (defensive midfielder) that will ultimately take his career to Europe.
With Bradley playing with only one 6 in a three-man midfield, Berggren is on the outside looking in — especially because he is still adjusting to the first-year head coach’s new, aggressive system. The 28-year-old was a great fit for the more conservative Red Bull of last season. That’s not the case this year.
“He continues to pick up ideas and continues to improve,” Bradley said. “In some ways, for Gustav, part of how we play, how we set our midfield with a 6 and two 8’s… if you compare how the team played last year, more with two 6’s, if you look back to how he played with his team in Poland, that was predominantly two 6’s. So there’s the part with him that we continue to work with and help him so that his understanding of how he can take his qualities and play in a midfield three, whether that’s as a single 6 or as an 8, we continue to work on those things every day.”
Bradley implored that Berggren has been a “really good professional” and a “really good teammate” throughout the surprising lack of playing time. The hope is that more opportunities will emerge in the coming weeks.
” We’re going to continue to find the right ways to get him more minutes over this next period,” Bradley said.
