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Sports Soccer MLS CF Montréal
Training, recovering and a treasure hunt keep the team fresh as they prepare to resume MLS play against Toronto FC on Sunday.
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Published Aug 18, 2023 • 3 minute read
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CF Montréal would have preferred to continue their adventure in the Leagues Cup, but they did not rest on their laurels during their break of more than three weeks.
Eliminated from the tournament after only two games in the group stage, the bleu-blanc-noir watched Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF from the comfort of their living rooms.
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Three weeks away from competition is not necessarily what a team fighting for a playoff spot in MLS wants. The Montrealers, however, took advantage of the time off to work on themselves.
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First, they had to stay in shape.
CF Montréal has regained the services of some of its injured players. Defender Fernando Alvarez, acquired at the end of July, also got his first reps with his new team.
To keep his players in that competitive mentality, head coach Hernan Losada kept a high pace in training.
“During a break, you can work on a lot of things and you can also improve the physical aspect. We’ve had several 11-on-11 matches and even played the Academy U23 players once. It’s a bit long, but we took advantage of that,” Losada said on Friday before training at Centre Nutrilait.
The team also focused on the mental aspect of the players and their chemistry. Last week, it organized a group activity.
“We worked on our treasure hunt at Maisonneuve Park last week. It’s a good activity to bring the team together,” said midfielder Samuel Piette. “When you see the successes of Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, of course you want to make it to the end of the tournament, but on the other hand, the break has helped disconnect us from the world of soccer and recover physically.”
Finally, the coaches also turned their attention to tactics and improving individual and collective play. CF Montréal find themselves tied for the third-worst attack in MLS and with more finishing against DC United, in their second game in the Leagues Cup, they would probably have made it through to the knockout stage.
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“We worked a lot on the last offensive third. We are efficient defensively, but we miss the last passes, the calls and the creativity in the last third,” Piette noted. “Defensively, I think we have improved a lot on crosses, on marking players in the penalty area and, above all, on the reaction when we lose the ball. We worked on it to suffocate our opponents.”
During their long hiatus, CF Montréal also said goodbye to veteran defender Rudy Camacho, who was traded to the Columbus Crew before the transfer window closed.
Camacho, who had been with the club since 2018, had a slow start to the season — like the majority of the team — but he stepped up his game to become an important cog. The 32-year-old Frenchman has missed three games this season in MLS and CF Montréal have allowed 10 of their 32 goals during those absences.
Losada believes, however, the team has replacements in their current roster and that these players are ready to take over.
“Every time a player leaves, it’s an opportunity that is created for others. It is up to them to seize it,” he said. “We have already used several players in central defence and I believe that they are ready to take this place. We know Rudy was an important player, but we have a lot of talent in our squad. It’s up to me and the rest of the staff to replace someone like him.”
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Losada said despite a few minor injuries to Lassi Lappalainen earlier this week and Ariel Lassiter last week, his squad was all in good shape heading into their duel against Toronto FC on Sunday (7:30 p.m., TSN4, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, BPM Sports 91.9).
Toronto interim coach Terry Dunfield said his team understands what’s expected.
“We as a club know we owe the fans a performance,” Dunfield said. “And I don’t think there could be a better game than Montreal at home.”
Firing Bob Bradley as coach and sporting director on June 26 did not arrest TFC’s nosedive. Toronto (3-11-10) lost six straight in July in all competitions while being outscored 13-0.
Montreal (9-12-2) is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, one place and one point below the playoff line. Toronto is another four places and 10 points below.
Montreal has won three straight over Toronto and is 5-1-0 in the last six league meetings.
Toronto will be without goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who broke his hand in training this week. El Salvador international Tomas Romero is expected to deputize while Johnson is out.
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