The members of CF Montreal repeat it one after the other: no, they will not be dazzled by Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami gang on Sunday. “The only nervousness I have,” underlines Laurent Courtois, “is like when your children go to school for their first day: are they going to be able to be themselves? That’s all. »
Of course, Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, “they are the best players in the world,” the head coach agreed on Friday, a few hours before the team left for Florida.
“We are playing against the biggest team in the league. I just want the guys to go into the game half having fun, half thinking that there’s something to do regardless. »
The excitement of facing the Pulga, Samuel Piette had not felt it within his group, when he was asked about it in the middle of the week. Perhaps there will be a little moment of excitement at the very start of the meeting, he said, but nothing more.
PHOTO LM OTERO, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Samuel Piette and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint
“When the match starts and we find our rhythm, I think everyone will return to the task, to their responsibilities,” believes the CFM captain.
Same story with goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
I will be dazzled [starstruck] afterwards if I want. But at game time, or even before, I’m really focused on us. […] I don’t really idolize anyone at the moment.
Jonathan Sirois
Piette nevertheless says it bluntly: he is a “big, big fan of FC Barcelona”, the club with which the four stars mentioned above reached the highest peaks of their respective careers.
“It’s certain that facing these players, who played for my favorite club, who have had enormous success on the international scene and who are among the best players in history, it’s going to be special. But at the same time, in a sense, it’s a match like any other. »
“Tactics are Busquets to Messi! »
So how does the CFM plan to counter them? It turns out that striker Josef Martínez played with Messi last year with Inter. Did he provide information to his coaches?
“We spoke for 10 seconds,” says Courtois, laughing. He told me : “Mister! Tactics are Busquets to Messi!” That’s it that’s all. Surprise ! »
Sirois is particularly likely to be called upon in front of the Argentinian-Uruguayan duo from Miami. He says he has “done his homework” and recalls the imperative to be “ready for anything” for the exam.
PHOTO JEROME MIRON, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
Jonathan Sirois, who looked good in CF Montreal’s first two matches, will have quite a challenge on Sunday against Inter Miami.
“I won’t say all the instructions I received,” says the jailer, smirking. […] They are attackers who can really do everything. [Le tout], it’s about trying not to be too surprised by how much more creativity they have. »
Messi is known for many aspects of his game, but his free kicks in particular have made even the greatest goalkeepers on the planet tremble and look bad.
“I always make video regardless of the player,” says Sirois. Afterwards, now it’s Messi. […] We also have to understand that he has his qualities and, of course, his free kick is going to be very dangerous. But I’ll try to take him like any other player. »
In this year of confirmation after his successes in 2023 – already very well underway, moreover – the Quebec goalkeeper is knocking very hard on the door of the Canadian selection.
Could a successful performance against Miami allow him to get noticed even more by interim coach Mauro Biello?
“I tell myself that quite a bit during every match,” assures Sirois with confidence.
“Almost every game now in MLS, there’s always a big player. It’s always a match that can make me stand out. But in the end, the idea is to collectively try to bring home the three points. If I concede a goal on Sunday but we start again [avec la victoire], I will be very happy too. »
“Far from the potential we have”
Inter Miami welcomes CF Montreal after playing an emotional match in the Champions Cup on Thursday evening in Nashville. Messi and Suárez played the full 90 minutes and both scored to allow the Floridians to achieve a close 2-2 draw.
“I have a hard time seeing that as an advantage,” said Laurent Courtois when asked about the potential fatigue of opposing players.
PHOTO LM OTERO, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Laurent Courtois, on the sidelines, during the CF Montreal match against FC Dallas
“I will prepare our players regardless of the opponent. I know it’s special, it’s not trivial: it’s Messi. […] We know who it is in front of us. These guys are used to playing every three days, they’ve been doing it for 15 years. »
The technician indicates that “90% of his preparation” will be focused on his players. He wants his flock to demonstrate “extreme humility”, in the hope of “causing problems”.
His club showed these qualities against Orlando and Dallas, with the success that we know.
“I think it’s one of our strengths,” judge Samuel Piette. Since the start of the year, we have been very solid, we have a really good unit, we are very compact, very humble, very supportive of each other. We make the effort. »
“We are playing very well, I think. And we are very far from the potential we have. »
Opoku absent “several weeks”
PHOTO LM OTERO, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kwadwo Opoku
Kwadwo Opoku will be absent for “several weeks”, announced Laurent Courtois on Friday. The Ghanaian striker suffered an injury to the 11e minute of the match against FC Dallas last Saturday. He was seen on crutches with a boot in a photo published by the CFM after the meeting.
This is the only player who will be completely unavailable for the head coach, he said. Let us still cast doubt on the availability of defender George Campbell, who spent Friday’s session jogging with the fitness trainer at the Nutrilait Center. In his absence, Joaquín Sosa could make his debut on the Montreal ramparts on Sunday.