CF Montreal captain Samuel Piette set to return to action

CF Montreal midfielder Samuel Piette (6) moves the ball past Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo, left, during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (John Raoux/The Associated Press)

CF Montreal will be able to count on the return of its captain, Samuel Piette, when it faces St. Louis City SC on Saturday evening at Saputo Stadium.

Piette, who has not played since Aug. 5 against Club Puebla in the League Cup, explained that he believes he has been struggling with a perilymphatic fistula in his right ear, although the diagnosis has not been 100 per cent confirmed.

This is a tear in the inner ear that allows fluid, called perilymph, to leak out.

This may explain the dizziness, lightheadedness and nausea that the Quebec midfielder experienced earlier this season and in the weeks that followed.

The symptoms were accentuated during physical exertion, contact and blows to the head.

Piette said Friday during a media availability before training at the Nutrilait Centre that the tear appears to have healed and that he has had no symptoms since his last game.

Piette trained with his teammates this week and said he was ready to play for 90 minutes if selected for the starting eleven by interim head coach Marco Donadel. However, the 30-year-old said he may be lacking a bit of match fitness.

Although officially eliminated from playoff contention in the Eastern Conference two weeks ago, CF Montreal (5-15-9) is enjoying a good run in MLS.

The team is unbeaten in its last five games (2-0-3).

For its part, St. Louis City SC (5-17-7) arrives at Saputo Stadium on a slightly less impressive streak. The team has not won in its last four games (0-1-3).

This will be the first matchup between the two teams since St. Louis City SC joined MLS in 2023.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 12, 2025.