In a season with a historic number of firsts, the Montreal Impact and its supporters will experience another on Wednesday when its first ever Designated Player will make his debut versus TFC.
Di Vaio's debut: Be there!
Italian striker Marco Di Vaio will don the number 9 jersey for the very first time at Stade Saputo, and will most likely get the start.
“It will be emotional for me. For my first game, I hope to play well within the group,” said Di Vaio. “I’ve watched the team’s last few games, and I feel comfortable with the system. My goal is to do everything I can to help my team win on Wednesday. I’ve been working really hard these past few weeks to be ready for this match.”
Di Vaio’s Impact
The former Italian international has been with the team for a couple of weeks, but due to a full schedule of games, he has not been able to assimilate into the group as much as he would have liked to. However, in that short time, he has already made an impact on his new teammates.
Here’s what some of them had to say about him:
Impact head coach Jesse Marsch - “He’s moved himself along fitness wise and he has gotten sharper since he’s been here. I think he will fit in right away with the group on the field. Soccer wise, he is really smart. He’s got a great eye around the goal for scoring or setting guys up. Having him here has been good in every way. He gives us a real threat around the goal and a better sense of savvy because of his quality.”
Midfielder Justin Mapp – “We are all excited for him being here. His experience in the top leagues is invaluable, he's played a high level for a long time. He will add something great to our team. As a midfielder, we have to put him in dangerous positions around the goal. He’s scored a ton of them in his career, so we just have to get him in good spots.”
Midfielder Patrice Bernier – “He’s a player with a lot of experience and an eye for goal. His maturity around the net will help us score more often as he has that calm around the goal. We play a fluid style and he should be able to integrate with us well as he is a player always in movement.”
