After playing the Major League Soccer (MLS) resumption tournament behind closed doors in Orlando, the Montreal Impact is about to return to its fortress, Stade Saputo, in front of the lucky 250 who will be able to attend Tuesday’s game against the Whitecaps.
For the moment, Public Health does not allow outdoor gatherings of more than 250 people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which has been raging for several months.
Interviewed on the show Hi hello! on TVA, midfielder Samuel Piette discussed this possible and particular return to Stade Saputo.
“It will be quite strange, to be honest,” Piette conceded. In Orlando, there were no stands, so automatically no supporters. But with us at the Stadium, the context will be very different. We are used to seeing it filled. “
A lot of unknown
While it is already clear that the Impact will play its next six games in Canada against the other two Canadian teams (Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC), the rest of the season seems much more nebulous.
Among the scenarios considered, it is mentioned that the Montreal club could be forced to return to the United States, where he would play the rest of his season.
Piette, whose spouse is expecting a child, can’t wait to see what happens next, but tries not to look too far ahead.
“I go there from day to day. My girlfriend can give birth anytime. I try not to project myself too much into the future. ”
Hard on the body
This season’s setup makes it difficult for players on a number of fronts.
Schedule changes, extended quarantines, canceled matches, sequences of several games in a few days … All of this forces athletes to reinvent themselves, in a way.
“It’s extremely difficult on the body, but also on the mind. Physically, the fact that we’ve been in the preseason all the time since the start of the calendar makes things difficult. This is usually the phase that players hate the most, because it means the time when training is as intense as possible.
“It’s tough this season, because every time we seem to start playing and take our time to go, we have to start over.”
Objective: consistency
After a mixed “MLS is Back” tournament, the Impact will certainly want to do well in this six-game series against its Canadian rivals.
“We know that the points collected during this mini-tournament will count for the regular season and for the Canadian Championship. We are extremely motivated to perform well. ”
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