MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact will kick off its training camp on Monday at Olympic Stadium. After two training sessions, the team will fly to Orlando, Florida, where the club will continue its camp until February 5.
A total of 25 players will be present in Montreal, including six invitees from FC Montreal, as well as the first pick from this past SuperDraft, defender Kyle Fisher.
Midfielder Calum Mallace, newcomer Lucas Ontivero, the Impact’s other three selections from the draft, Michael Salazar, Eric Verso and Keegan Smith, as well as midfielder Pedro Jeanine, on trial, will join the team in Florida.
Forward Didier Drogba will not be present for the opening of the camp, but he will be doing preparation work in view of the upcoming season. He will join the team for the second part of training camp, which will take place from February 15 to 28 in St.Petersburg, Florida.
Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, defenders Wandrille Lefèvre and Eric Miller, as well as midfielders Kyle Bekker and Johan Venegas, will also miss the first phase of camp due to their respective national team selections, while midfielder Andrés Romero continues his rehabilitation in Argentina.
In Orlando, the team will train daily and play an exhibition game against the New York Red Bulls on Thursday, February 4.
An exhibition game against FC Montreal is also planned at Olympic Stadium on Saturday, February 13.
The preseason schedule for the team’s second phase in Florida will be announced later.
The Montreal Impact will play its opening match of the 2016 season in Montreal on Saturday, March 12, at Olympic Stadium against the defending regular season champions New York Red Bulls. The Impact plays its season opener the previous Sunday, March 6, against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, at 5:30pm ET (RDS, TSN).
2016 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
January 25 and 26 in Montreal (25 players): Alexander, Béland-Goyette, Bernier, Bush, Cabrera, Camara, Ciman, Choinière, Dominguez, Donadel, Fisher, Gagnon-Laparé, Jackson-Hamel, Kronberg, Mallace, Meilleur-Giguère, Oduro, Oyongo, Pantemis, Paulmin, Piatti, Porter, Tissot, Toia, Williams
Absent (11 players): Bekker, Crépeau, Drogba, Lefèvre, Miller, Ontivero, Romero, Salazar, Smith, Venegas, Verso
FC Montreal player
January 26 to February 5 in Orlando (30 players): Alexander, Béland-Goyette, Bernier, Bush, Cabrera, Camara, Ciman, Choinière, Dominguez, Donadel, Gagnon-Laparé, Fisher, Jackson-Hamel, Jeanine, Kronberg, Mallace, Meilleur-Giguère, Oduro, Ontivero, Oyongo, Pantemis, Paulmin, Piatti, Porter, Salazar, Smith, Tissot, Toia, Verso, Williams
Absent (7 players): Bekker, Crépeau, Drogba, Lefèvre, Miller, Romero, Venegas
FC Montreal player
Trialist
2016 CAMP CALENDAR
January 25: Training at Olympic Stadium
January 26: Training at Olympic Stadium and departure for Orlando
February 4: Preseason game against NYRB in Orlando
February 5: Return to Montreal
February 8-12: Training at Olympic Stadium
February 13: Preseason game against FC Montreal at Olympic Stadium
February 15: Departure for Florida
February 28: Return to Montreal
March 6: First game of the 2016 season in Vancouver
March 12: Opening game at Olympic Stadium against NYRB
