CF Montreal head coach Wilfried Nancy doesn’t have a wait-and-see philosophy heading into his team’s first official game this year in Mexico against Santos Laguna on Tuesday. This will be the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16.
“There will be a period of time where we will suffer, and that’s normal,” Nancy said by videoconference on Monday. But we play our soccer and, as soon as there is an opportunity to go on the attack, we do it. The balance of power and the momentum can change, but you don’t start a match by saying “we’re waiting for the opponent”, never. We have good bases. The goal is to be more efficient than last year. »
The match will be played at 10 p.m. EST at Estadio Corona in Torreon, Mexico.
“Santos Laguna is a good team, very aggressive,” added Nancy. We will have to be solid in defense and attack according to what we want to deploy. It will be an interesting challenge. »
Striker Romell Quioto is eager to see where CF is physically, but also tactically. “We made good progress in the preseason games,” said the man who led his side with eight goals last season.
Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic believes he will have to come to the game in mid-season form. “We will have to match their intensity or even exceed it,” said the author of four nets in 2021.
Defender Alistair Johnston remains unavailable due to COVID-19 protocol.
Nancy said CF didn’t arrive in Mexico until Sunday evening from Florida.
About the players on the sidelines and the trip, the coach said the focus should be on what the club can control, which is the game on the pitch.
The return match will take place on February 22 at the Olympic Stadium.