CF Montreal | How to impress colleagues at the coffee machine

CF Montreal’s season begins this Saturday night against Inter Miami. If you are not a big fan of CFM, this text is for you. It will be your little guide to carry on the conversation with your daughter-in-law who likes the Bleu-blanc-noir a little too much or to show off your knowledge in front of colleagues.

Arrivals, but especially departures

This is the refrain we hear the most as the new season approaches. Like what CF Montreal “sold all its good players”. Let’s do a check in. Five important players left the team before the start of the campaign. Three of them were “sold” and two were traded.

CFM had a historic season in 2022 thanks to the emergence of several key players. Some of them went on to represent Canada at the World Cup. In short, a beautiful showcase.

This is the case of Quebec midfielder Ismaël Koné and defender Alistair Johnston, who were sold after their good performances to major European teams.

Attacking midfielder Djordje Mihailovic was sold to a Dutch club during the season, while Joaquín Torres and Kei Kamara were swapped during training camp.

Most of the positions left vacant by these departures have been filled, either internally or with arrivals. However, it is unclear who will succeed the position previously held by Mihailovic.

Nevertheless, the backbone of the team remains intact for the next season. The club’s two co-captains, Samuel Piette and Victor Wanyama, will be back. As well as Romell Quioto, the team’s top scorer for the past three seasons.

In total, 8 of the 11 players who formed the starting line-up last year are still with the Bleu-blanc noir. In theory, the CFM should not decline this season.

Under Hernán Losada

Who says new season says new coach, on the Montreal side. It is the Argentinian Hernán Losada who will be at the helm of the CFM this season after the departure of Wilfried Nancy.

Nancy left ship after two seasons as a CFM driver due to a falling out with club management, including owner Joey Saputo. He took over the management of Columbus and will be the head coach of the Crew this season.

For his part, Losada displayed his colors by saying that he would continue in the game ideas proposed by Nancy. According to him, it is important to offer attacking play. His mission: to win by offering a show.

From the small screen to mobile devices

This is probably the biggest change this season for CF Montreal. In recent years, the French-language rights of MLS and therefore of CFM belonged to TVA Sports. This is no longer the case this season.

All games will be broadcast through the “MLS Season pass” on Apple TV+. It’s an agreement with MLS and, therefore, a digital shift for the league.

That said, some CFM matches will also be shown on so-called cable television. In total, 14 of the 34 MLS games of the Montrealers will be presented on RDS¹.

A new look, but still

Announced in May, CFM will sport a new logo this season. The club got rid of the controversial Snowflake, adopted in January 2021.

The old logo, as well as the abandonment of the name Impact in favor of CF Montreal, had aroused discontent among several supporters. The new logo, more faithful to the old colors of the club, was better received.

Note, however, that the CFM will start the season using only its jersey intended for away games, even when playing at home. As the new shirt for home matches has not been approved by the club’s new management, it is still in production.

Said jersey will therefore arrive later in the season.

Many chances to win a trophy!

It may sound very esoteric. This season, CF Montreal will play in three different competitions at the same time. However, it is not that complex.

First, the MLS. This is the league in which the CFM plays and where it will play the most games. At the end of 34 games, the top-ranked teams will earn a bye to the playoffs with the goal of being crowned MLS Cup champions. It’s a familiar principle for North American sports fans.

Then there is the Canadian Championship. A competition on the sidelines of the MLS, the Canadian Championship brings together the best soccer teams in Canada. This includes the three Canadian teams of the MLS, including the CFM, the eight teams of the Canadian Premier League (a professional league lower in caliber than the MLS) and three semi-professional teams selected on merit (including one from Quebec).

For the CFM, this competition will begin in April against Vaughan SC, a semi-professional club from Ontario. It is a direct elimination tournament, that is to say that a defeat in the Canadian Championship is synonymous with the end of the course. The winner of the tournament will be crowned in June.

Finally, there is a new competition this year in the CFM calendar, the Coupe des Ligues. It is a tournament that will feature 47 teams: the 29 clubs of MLS as well as the 18 clubs of the Mexican championship.

Thanks to its third place in the MLS standings last year, CFM will play its two group stage games at Saputo Stadium. Both circuits will temporarily pause their activities to hold the tournament, which will take place from the end of July to mid-August.