Atlanta United opened the 2025 season with a 3-2 win over CF Montréal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To say that the rest of the year hasn’t gone to plan would be a massive understatement. In any event, Atlanta is in Montréal for the return fixture in a match between a pair of teams in the Wooden Spoon race. CFM isn’t in good shape either: they fired Laurent Courtois on March 24 before penning an open letter to their fans vowing a “new chapter”, one that includes former Atlanta United Homegrown centerback Efrain Morales..
I had a chance to catch up with Elias from The Ball Is Round Montreal to get a sense of the state of Montréal and what could be next.
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This has been a season of transition for CF Montreal, with Laurent Courtois being sacked and ownership directly addressing fans about the club rebuilding itself. Are you buying or selling what they’re saying, or are you somewhere in the middle?
Anyone that has followed this club for the past years should know by now that actions often speak louder than words. It’s good that they are taking accountability and owning up to the fact that this season has been a disaster from start to finish, but the club has promised to turn things around far too many times for them to be taken purely at their word. I do believe that they’re taking concrete steps to address these issues, but I also believe they need to take immediate action in order to promote this rebuild and secure interest from the casual fan for next season.
Since being traded to Montreal, Efrain Morales has played in a pair of matches for them in Leagues Cup, even scoring against Toluca. What have you made of his play thus far with such a small sample size?
Efrain Morales has been a breath of fresh air to Montréal’s back line as the departure of George Campbell has left a significant hole in the lineup with regards to a strong, physically imposing central defender who can also play well with the ball. He has earned himself a three-year contract renewal and there is a lot of room In his game to grow, but he has shown all the right things as far as first impressions go.
With nine matches left, Montreal — like Atlanta — are essentially out of the playoff race. What’s the biggest thing you’re looking for from the club down the stretch?
Myself — like many other journalists and supporters of the club — are treating the remaining games this season almost as preseason friendlies In the way that the expectation is to show a competitive brand of football that will promote what fans should be excited about for next season. Players like Hennadiy Synchuk and Olger Escobar have been revelations in recent weeks, and I am of the opinion that they should start every single game they can. Other players who are not in the team’s plans for next season should be given as few minutes as possible, and all the focus must be on core players that have identified for the future of this team.
Why is guzan still in goal…he is slow..Hibbert would have done way better