Montreal Impact hope to have Rod Fanni back to face New England Revolution

The Montreal Impact hope to have defender Rod Fanni back from injury this week. The former French international has not played since leaving an April 14 game against the New York Red Bulls with what the team called a minor muscular problem.

``I feel better and better, day after day,'' Fanni said Thursday. ``This week I will see how I feel but I think I'm really close.''

The 36-year old resumed full training this week and should be available for a home game Saturday against the New England Revolution.

The Impact (2-6) are on a four-game losing run in which they have conceded 16 goals _ including nine in two full games without Fanni.

The Impact defence has been in turmoil since the start of the season through injuries and suspensions. Three days before the season opener, Zakaria Diallo, one of the team's top off-season signings, was lost for the year with an Achilles tendon injury. Second-year centreback Kyle Fisher has yet to play because of a fractured shin.

But they're about to get some players back. Central defender Victor Cabrera is to return from a one-game suspension, while forward Matteo Mancosu has resumed training and is also expected to return from a calf injury.

The Impact picked up Fanni from Marseille of the French league in March after Diallo went down. He is signed only through June, but will almost certainly be kept on.

The six-foot-two Fanni is especially anxious to begin a partnership with fellow Frenchman Rudy Camacho, who joined the Impact last month.

``I like Rudy because he's a good player and he's a good guy,'' said Fanni. ``We get frustrated because we haven't played a lot together and we want to play together at maximum capacity.''

Coach Remi Garde agreed. He's been patching together defences since the start of the season.

``Most of all I'm very impatient to be able to stabilize a partnership in this position _ not to change everything because of suspensions or injuries,'' said Garde.

No one wants Fanni back more than goalkeeper Evan Bush.

``When you're dealing with storms, you need someone with that calming influence and he provides that for sure,'' said Bush.