Di Lorenzo, a left-footed, offensive midfielder, was spotted by Impact head coach Nick De Santis during a scouting trip in Argentina, last January. He signed a one-year deal with a one-year option, to become official pending international clearance.
Gervais, a keystone of the Montreal defense, and Ribeiro, an offensive midfielder who had his best offensive output in 2005, have both signed three-year deals.
“Di Lorenzo will bring a different dimension to the team on the left flank,” said De Santis. “He is a quick player who likes to put pressure on the opposing defense. He’ll be one more asset to our offense this summer.”
Di Lorenzo made his pro debut in 2000 with San Lorenzo, one of the leading clubs in Argentina. He played there as well in 2004. He also had stints with AtlĂ©tico Rafaela, a Santa Fe city club, in 2003, and Argentinos Juniors, Diego Maradona’s first soccer club, in 2005. He has played over 70 Division-A games in Argentina.
Di Lorenzo also played 10 games in international competitions such as the Libertadores Cup, the Sudamericana Cup and the Mercosur Cup. He was also on the Argentinian U-20 national team that reached the final at the Sudamericana Cup in Ecuador in 2001.
GERVAIS & RIBEIRO
Gervais, 29, will be playing his seventh season in the United Soccer Leagues First Division. He has been playing with the Impact since the club’s re-launch in 2002. Since his arrival in Montreal, the team has allowed an average of 0.714 goals per game in regular-season play. Last year, he helped his team post the best defense in the USL D1 with only 15 goals allowed in 28 games, which tied the club record set the previous year.
“He is a key player on our roster”, said De Santis. “In addition to cementing our defense, he is a leader both on and off the field. He is one of those players who gives his team better chemistry and more character.”
Gervais was named the league’s Defender of the Year in 2003 and 2004. He was awarded the Giuseppe-Saputo Trophy as the Impact’s team MVP in 2004, after being proclaimed Montreal’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He was also selected to the league’s all-star team four times.
On the international scene, Gervais has played eight games with the Canadian National Team. He played two of Canada’s three games at the 2005 Gold Cup tournament. He was also on Canada’s starting eleven for the international friendly against the United States, last January 22 in San Diego, which resulted in a 0-0 tie.
Ribeiro, 25, has played 69 career games with the Impact. After stints in 2000 and 2001, he came back with the team in July of 2003. He became a regular part of the starting eleven in 2004, when he played 27 games, 18 as starter, for 1,741 minutes of play, all personal bests. Last season, he scored two goals and added two assists for six points in 23 games and 1,270 minutes of play.
“Ribeiro is a young player who already has a good deal of experience in this league,” said De Santis. “It will be important for him to continue to build on the good things he has shown us in recent seasons. He gives us more depth in the midfield.”
In other news, the organization officially announced that midfielder David DiPlacido will not be back with the team in 2006.
The Impact’s season opener will be Sunday, April 23 against Miami F.C., an expansion team. Montreal’s 13th home opener in club history at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex will take place Sunday, May 21, against the Minnesota Thunder.
Impact 2006 season-ticket packages are still on sale. For further information, contact the team’s ticketing office at 514-328-3668 or ticketing@impactmontreal.com.
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Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
