Let’s not mince words about CF Montreal. 

They’re in trouble. Deep trouble. 

Saturday’s humbling 7-1 loss to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in Florida was one of the most embarrassing showings by Montreal in club history, another humiliating blow to a side that has stumbled and bumbled its way through the 2026 MLS season. 

Montreal lost six of its opening seven matches of the campaign, leading to former coach Marco Donadel paying the ultimate price when he was fired and replaced by interim boss Philippe Eullaffroy. The Frenchman won his first two games in charge, but Montreal soon reverted to its old ways — it has just two victories in its last 13 matches since May 2.

Eullaffroy’s side currently sits second-to-last in the Eastern Conference and third from bottom in the overall league standings. And while they’re only four points below the playoff line, it’s difficult to envision Montreal (averaging 0.95 points per game) leapfrogging five teams over the final 12 matches of the regular season to clinch the ninth and final post-season berth in the Eastern Conference.  

Brayan Ceballos was acquired in a trade with the New England Revolution last month in the hope that he could help shore things up at the back. The Colombian centre back, who was New England’s defender of the year for 2025, has his work cut out to whip this defence into shape. Montreal has the fourth-worst defensive record in MLS with 46 goals conceded — 2.09 goals against per game.  

Things haven’t been much better on the offensive side. With just 30 goals to its credit, Montreal has the third-worst attack in the East — 1.36 goals scored per match. German striker Prince Owusu’s 13 goals account for a whopping 43 per cent of the team’s output in 2026. Nobody else on the squad is even close to double digits in goals —........

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