ΒΕΤΤΙΝG NEWSLETTERS: Kick Off: Looking to make history, Montreal Impact announce record crowd for Champions League final

Kick Off: Looking to make history, Montreal Impact announce record crowd for Champions League final

Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning:

1. IMPACT LOOK TO MAKE HISTORY

Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League final second leg (8 pm ET, Fox Sports 2 & UniMas in the US; Sportsnet One, TVA Sports 2 in Canada) is inching ever closer – can the Montreal Impact become the first MLS team to win the CCL title? If they do, just how much credit will be coming the way of head coach Frank Klopas?

2. MONTREAL SELLS 2,000 MORE SEATS

Fans quickly snatched up 2,000 extra tickets made available by Montreal on Monday, with the club announcing in the evening that Wednesday's second leg will be seen by a Canadian-record crowd of 61,004. The packed house will make Wednesday even more special for one longtime Impact veteran, 35-year-old Quebec-native Patrice Bernier.

3. IMPACT BRING IN VETERAN 'KEEPER

CONCACAF upheld the suspension for Montreal starting goalkeeper Evan Bush for Wednesday's second leg, leaving the Impact with just one full-strength 'keeper, on-loan FC Edmonton man John Smits. So Montreal proceeded to add some last-second cover on Monday, acquiring goalkeeper Kristian Nicht on a permanent deal from Indy Eleven just minutes before CONCACAF's roster deadline.

4. ARE TORONTO FC FOR REAL?

Toronto FC snapped their four-game losing streak on Saturday, getting a pair of goals from Jozy Altidore to beat Orlando City 2-0 at the Citrus Bowl. The win, which moved TFC to 2-4-0 on the year, has club captain Michael Bradley feeling bullish, with the US international insisting that the team can become “something special in MLS.” If TFC does take off, it'll be without forward Bright Dike, who was sent on-loan to the San Antonio Scorpions on Monday.

5. INJURIES PILE UP FOR NYCFC

The injuries just keep piling up for New York City FC. With Adam Nemec and Javier Calle both picking up knocks and Andrew Jacobson earning a suspension in their loss at Chicago on Friday, what are NYCFC’s best options for Sunday’s nationally televised game against the Seattle Sounders (7 pm ET, FOX Sports 1).

6. RED BULLS NEAR FULL STRENGTH

While things are not going the way of New York City FC, the New York Red Bulls are almost back to full-strength. Left back Roy Miller is healthy again, and could return to the starting lineup for the first time since the season opener when the Red Bulls host Colorado on Wednesday night (7:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE).

7. RAPIDS HIT THE ROAD

The Colorado Rapids face a brutal road trip this week, traveling east for a date with the Red Bulls on Wednesday before flying to the opposite coast to take on the the LA Galaxy on Saturday night. Playing two games on both coasts in the span of 72 hours is no easy feat, and Pablo Mastroeni and his coaching staff are taking all possible measures to ensure their players get through it.

8. SURGERY FOR SARVAS, BARNES

Midfielder Marcelo Sarvas won't be able to help Colorado through their road trip, as he'll be out 4-6 weeks after undergoing right knee surgery on Monday. The New England Revolution are also down a player after placing defender Darius Barnes (torn patellar tendon) on the disabled list last Friday.

9. CALDWELL'S STOCK RISING

After yet another impressive performance, this time against Real Salt Lake, is it time we all started paying more attention to New England Revolution midfielder Scott Caldwell?

10. STACKED FIELD FOR AT&T GOAL OF THE WEEK

After a weekend featuring plenty of goals and some impressive performances, some would say the MLS Team of the Week picked itself. That won't be the case for the AT&T MLS Goal of the Week honors, with five top-notch goals filling out the field this week.

11. MLS PLAYERS MAKING THEIR MARK ON U-20s

The US Under-20 national team closed out their most recent training camp on a high note, beating Croatia 1-0 on Saturday. Columbus Crew SC attacker Romain Gall scored the lone goal for the U-20s; he's one of a score of MLS players who figure to play a major role for Tab Ramos' squad at the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand next month.

12. THE REAL BREK SHEA

Think you know the real Brek Shea? Think again.

13. CANADA NAMES ITS WWC SQUAD

There are only 39 days left until Canada hosts the Women’s World Cup and, on Monday, the hosts named their 23-woman squad for the tournament.

14. DALLAS TO APPEAL BLAS SUSPENSION?

FC Dallas made a move on Monday, sending Homegrown midfielder Danny Garcia on loan to Arizona United SC, the club’s USL affiliate. But it seems that Dallas might also be looking to appeal the red card suspension to Blas Perez in order that he might be available for Friday’s nationally televised match against Texas rivals Houston Dynamo (8 pm ET, UDN).

15. A NEW YORKER IN NEPAL

As the death toll continues to rise following the devastating earthquake in Nepal, New York-native and current Nepal national team coach Jack Stefanowski has been sharing his story about how he experienced the tragedy.

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