European title with a relatively low-key pairing

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Coming off the first Major League Soccer playoff appearance in team history, The Montreal Impact have a new head coach, a new captain and are looking to build on their success. TSN soccer analyst Noel Butler tells you everything you need to know about the 2014 Impact, while TSN soccer analyst Jason deVos tells you how they will succeed or fail during the new campaign. Noel Butler: Even with little turnover to the playing squad the off-season was far from quiet down Saputo Stadium way. In mid-December the Impact finally announced it had not exercised Marco Schällibaums option and that ex-Fire head coach, Frank Klopas would take over. Klopas inherited a squad of 21 returning players and by the time camp opened in late January that numbered had been enlarged to 28. Those additions included defender Eric Miller, who was selected 5th in this years SuperDraft. Then came the news Nelson Rivas had signed a new contract - the Columbian missed the entire 2013 campaign. Just before the club departed for the Disney Classic two more recruits were added. Attacking midfielder Andrés Romero, a player who showed much promise in early 2013, returned on another season long loan. Plus the club announced the signing of 21-year old Uruguayan striker, Santiago González. Bonus to those off-season moves evolves round two signings from last July. Hernán Bernadello, the clubs second designated player, was limited to only eight MLS appearances last season. Disrupting and orchestrating as he goes, Bernadello will sit in front of a defense which looked far from sure of itself during the pre-season. The other is central defender Adrián López, who is yet to feature in a league match. A torn ACL, occurring during a collision in training, ended the 27-year old Spaniards season. A fully fit López will feel like a new signing for the club. The move to hire as an assistant coach a defensive specialist, in Nikolaos Kounenakis was further enhanced with the announcement Alessandro Nesta had been added to the backroom staff. Nesta has officially joined as a consultant, tasked to analyze video. Much has been made of the fact Marco Di Vaio will miss the opening three matches. It could have been far worse. For most of last summer it seemed one of the leagues best performers in 2013 would not return for 2014 at all. Di Vaio will not score as freely as he did in 2013. Someone then who must shoulder more responsibility and finally return the faith shown in him by the club, is Andrew Wenger. Appearing in 24 league matches in his second season as a professional it still remains a complete mystery how the first overall pick in 2012s SuperDraft only tallied a solitary goal over that span. The 23-year old must display a more ruthless streak in front of goal. Berniers appointment as captain is the greatest testament any MLS club could make. A local product who commands the respect of teammate and opponent alike, Bernier reflects the very best for an organization entering its 21st season as a professional soccer club. When appointed, Klopas stated his philosophy has always been to look at the long run. Even in a league where parity prevails, only the most optimistic of the Impact faithful can realistically expect an immediate return to the playoffs this season. In a conference which includes the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup winners, then factor in the wholesale changes and upgrades in Toronto, there can be no denying Klopas has his work cut out to build on 2013s achievements. TSN Soccer analyst Jason deVos weighs in on how the Impact will succeed or fail during the 2014 season. Jason deVos: Montreal Impact will succeed if… …they find a partner for Matteo Ferrari at the back, and get goals from anyone not named Di Vaio. With the retirement of Alessandro Nesta (who has moved into a consultancy role with the club), Montreal need to find a starting centre back to partner Ferrari. Every indication was that this player would be Nelson Rivas, but his horrendous injury history has continued this season, and he looks unlikely to be fit to start the season. Wandrille Lefèvre has looked capable in pre-season, and he will likely get the first opportunity. If that fails, expect right fullback Hassoun Camara to slide inside. Up front, Marco Di Vaio is suspended for the first three games, due to his red card in the 2013 MLS Cup playoff loss to the Houston Dynamo. He will continue to score goals for the Impact, but it is supplemental scoring that is a concern for new head coach, Frank Klopas. No other player came close to hitting double digits last season, and unless that is rectified in 2014, Di Vaio will come under immense pressure to continue finding the back of the net. Montreal Impact will fail if… …any of their key players go down with lengthy injuries or suffer a poor run of form. The likes of Ferrari, Di Vaio, Hernan Bernardello and new skipper, Patrice Bernier must remain fit and available if the Impact are to succeed this season. The Impact have problem areas in their team - their entire left flank being one of them - and they simply cannot afford to have the spine of their team go missing. If any of their key players struggles with injury or form, there are very few like-for-like options available. The one with the most pressure on his shoulders is last years leading scorer, Di Vaio, whose 20 goals were the reason that Montreal made the playoffs. If anyone can handle that pressure, though, it is the Italian. If only the Impact could find another like him. 2013 finish: 14-13-7 (fifth in Eastern Conference). Lost to Houston in Knockout Round. Whos In?: F Santiago Gonzalez (transfer from Sud America). Whos Out: M Davy Arnaud (traded to D.C. United), M Paolo DelPiccolo (option declined), D Alessandro Nesta (retired), M Maximiliano Rodriguez (option declined), M Sinisa Ubiparipovic (option declined), D Zarek Valentin (transfer to Bodo/Glimt). SuperDraft: D Eric Miller (1-5), MF George Maliki (2-37). Everson Griffen Vikings Jersey .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. Rhett Ellison Vikings Jersey . Schaub will start for an injured Case Keenum and try to help the Texans end a 12-game skid. Schaubs last action in Houston came when he took over late in a game against Oakland on Nov. 17 as Keenum was struggling. http://www.vikingsnflfansclub.net/Black ... on-Jersey/. - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers. Linval Joseph Vikings Jersey . The start of the seasons fifth and final major was delayed two hours due to heavy rain in the area. The tournament eventually began, but with water on the greens and the rain persisting, players were called back to the clubhouse less than an hour after the first group teed off. Chris Doleman Vikings Jersey .com) - Top seed Klara Zakopalova reached the second round, while former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone came up a loser Tuesday at the inaugural Rio Open tennis event.NYON, Switzerland -- The champions of Spain will play a champion of Spanish football values after the Champions League last-16 draw delivered compelling pairings Monday. Barcelona was drawn to face in-form Manchester City, shaped with a strong contingent of Spain internationals by the Catalan clubs former director of football. The four-time winner must first travel to Etihad Stadium, where Manchester United and Arsenal have already been routed in the Premier League this season. "I think Barcelona will be very concerned that they have drawn us," said City coach Manuel Pellegrini, who spent the past nine seasons in the Spanish league. "They are not the team of two years ago." Chelsea will have an emotional reunion with former striker Didier Drogba when it plays Galatasaray, and defending champion Bayern Munich was paired with Arsenal in the last 16 for the second straight year. "Im the luckiest man in this competition in both games Ill be playing home," Drogba, who spent eight seasons at Stamford Bridge, wrote on his Instagram account. Both City and Arsenal ended up with tough draws after finishing second in their Champions League groups. "No one of the (seeded teams) wanted to find Man City or Arsenal," said former Barcelona playmaker Luis Figo, who helped conduct the draw. "Its bad luck for Barcelona and Bayern Munich." Also, nine-time winner Real Madrid will face Schalke, Manchester United got a favourable draw against Olympiakos, Borussia Dortmund will face Zenit St. Petersburg, AC Milan will play Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain will meet Bayer Leverkusen. The first legs will be played Feb. 18-19 and 25-26, with the return matches set for March 11-12 and 18-19. Man City is the only newcomer to the Champions League knockout rounds, and wasted an opportunity to be seeded when Pelligrini did not realize that one more goal in its 3-2 win in Munich last week would have won the group ahead of Bayern. Now, it opens the program against Barcelona at home, where the team is averaging more than four goals a game. "Pelligrini is a very, very good coach," Barcelona direcctor Amador Bernabeu said.dddddddddddd "We know from his coaching in Spain that when we play him we have problems all the time." Manchester Citys director of football is Txiki Begiristain, who joined the English club from Barcelona. "If you want to be champions you need to beat the best ones," Begiristain said. "We have to score in away games in the Champions League." Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said last week that Drogba should return to his former club. The Ivory Coast forwards last kick as a Chelsea player was the penalty shootout winner in the 2012 final against Bayern. The German champions have a re-match with Arsenal, which won 2-0 in Munich last season after Bayern had cruised to a 3-1 win in London. Bayern coach Pep Guardiola also renews rivalries after his Barcelona team eliminated Arsenal in 2010 and 11. "I know Arsene Wenger quite well, I know his players quite well," Guardiola said at the Club World Cup in Morocco. "In the draw it was the most difficult team." Madrid continues its quest for a record 10th European title with a relatively low-key pairing against Schalke. "On paper, yes, but that is only theory," Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno said. "Football is unpredictable. Its a German team with a great mentality." Dortmund, which lost to Bayern in last seasons final, got arguably the most unwanted trip -- a Feb. 25 visit to Russia to play Zenit in almost certain below-freezing temperatures. "It wont be easy," Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said. "But when I look at the teams the other German clubs have to play against, we got through OK." Leverkusen will be at home first against big-spending PSG and its feared forward line of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani. "You dont have to be an expert to say we are the outsiders," said Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller, whose team lost 5-0 at home to United last month. PSG coach Laurent Blanc said it "could have been worse," but then added: "If they are second to Bayern it means they are a talented team." China Jerseys ' ' '