Drogba will miss four of the first five games of the MLS season because the Montreal Impact are playing on turf in those matches. Drogba is just getting back from a knee injury and the Montreal Impact are not taking any chances with their star. To complicate the situation even further, the Impact train on turf indoors at Olympic Stadium. They are not scheduled to begin outdoor training on grass until the second week of April. The club was hoping Drogba would be allowed to train in Miami, Florida with MIAMI FC and under the watchful eye of former Impact player and now head coach of MIAMI FC Alessandro Nesta. Unfortunately, the MLS intervened and declined to give Drogba and the Impact permission to do so.
For Montreal to compete at the highest level this season in the MLS, they need a healthy Drogba to contribute as he did in his first MLS season in 2015. Drogba played in 11 games and netted 11 goals for the Impact. The question that remains to be answered is whether Drogba has enough left in the tank at 38 to be the offensive force that he once was and that the Impact need him to be. If he can stay moderately healthy, I wouldn’t bet against Drogba. He has proven time and time again that he’s a passionate warrior on the pitch.
