This Tuesday morning, Montreal Impact training sprang a good surprise for supporters of the club: centre back Wandrille Lefèvre, initially scheduled to return from a groin injury at the end of this month, joined his teammates on the Centre Nutrilait fields.
Injured in the July 17 game against New York City FC, Lefèvre first trained with the Academy on Monday and felt no pain.
“It evolved quicker than we expected,” Lefèvre said after training on Tuesday. “I felt good. It was important to work appropriately, without taking shortcuts. I worked a lot physically, which allowed me to comeback even fitter than before.
“I tested my groin unexpectedly, as I changed direction, lost my footing and got stretched, but it was okay,” he continued. “The toughest part was the mental side. Can I strike the ball with my left? Can I stretch my foot out, spring, change direction? But those little details worked out well. Now, I’m okay, but I’m not out of my mind, either; I know that I have to be careful.”
The medical staff gave Lefèvre clear instructions, and he will be restricted to 45 minutes, at most, in the international game between the Impact and A.S. Roma, this Wednesday night at 7:30pm at Stade Saputo (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98,5fm & TSN Radio 690).
But the fact that he’s available to play that game is already a positive.
“Every person in the locker room is approaching this game wanting to prove something,” said Lefèvre. “It’s another opportunity, different from training, to show the coach what we can do. The prestigious opponent is a bonus. The motivation remains the same.”
