MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact are getting reinforcements at the back ahead of the weekend.
Veteran Matteo Ferrari will be back in central defense for the Impact’s first ever visit to Buck Shaw Stadium, where they face the San Jose Earthquakes this Saturday (4 pm ET, watch on MLS Live).
Ferrari, 33, has been out injured since April 14, when he sustained a calf injury during the warm-ups of the Montreal-Columbus game. He has been training without pain for several days, and head coach Marco Schällibaum will call upon the Italian defender, whose display was impeccable in the only past meeting between the two sides, a 3-1 Impact win on August 18, 2012.
“He’s going to play Saturday,” Schällibaum confirmed on Thursday. “I like him a lot; he has experience, he brings some calmness to the team and he’s a force to be reckoned with at the back. Wandrille [Lefèvre] and Hassoun [Camara] were very good [on Wednesday against Toronto FC], but you also need three or four players that bring freshness. I already have an idea, but we’ll see tomorrow and especially Saturday.”
News is less jolly in team captain Davy Arnaud's case, however. Arnaud was stunned by a corner kick he headed away in the 48th minute on Wednesday. This was his last involvement in the game, as he was taken off straightaway for fear of a head injury.
“It went well overnight, but I don’t want to take any chance with a head injury,” Schällibaum said. “You have to be careful. I prefer not taking him with us [to San Jose], but I really do hope he’ll be ready to face the Red Bulls next Wednesday.”
READ: Derby delight - what you may have missed from Wednesday's win over TFC
Schällibaum might also have to hand a plane ticket to his third goalkeeper, Maxime Crépeau. No. 2 ‘keeper Evan Bushfinished the Toronto game with a bloody nose, and the Impact must wait for a diagnosis before making a decision.
“He went to the hospital for x-rays,” Schällibaum said. “He might have a broken nose. We’re awaiting the latest news, then we’ll decide whether or not he’s coming with us.”
