The Alexis Sánchez era is nearly underway in Major League Soccer, but fans likely won’t get a chance to see the former Barcelona and Arsenal star in action on Saturday, CF Montréal’s first game with him officially on the team roster.

Sánchez is scheduled to arrive in Montréal on Friday afternoon and is, thus, more likely to be in the stands for his new club’s matchup against the New England Revolution on Saturday night than on the field. His debut is expected on Wednesday, Aug. 19, in an away fixture against the Columbus Crew. 

“The goal is to get him into the swing of things quickly,” said Montréal’s interim manager, Philippe Eullaffroy. “In Columbus next Wednesday, if all goes well and he doesn’t arrive on crutches, I think he’ll be on the game sheet.”

As for his home debut, that may not come until Aug. 22, when the Quèbec side hosts L.A. Galaxy, potentially reuniting Sánchez and former Barcelona teammate Sergi Roberto, who recently signed with the California club. 

While the Chilean star, who has 51 goals to lead his country's all-time scoring record, will play a key role in bringing Montréal back to relevance in MLS, he has not played a match since May 23, when he completed his time with Sevilla in La Liga. 

At the same time, he has not played significant minutes in recent seasons, amassing just over 1,400 minutes in 2025–26 across 30 games, after barely playing 500 minutes in 14 total appearances in 2024–25. In 2023–24, he played just over 1,000 minutes across 33 matches. Since the 2022–23 season with Marseille in Ligue 1, he hasn’t played over 3,000 minutes in any single campaign. 

Luckily for Montréal, only 1,350 minutes will remain in their MLS regular season schedule after Saturday’s matchup. 

“He’ll arrive in good physical condition, but not with match fitness; that’s what we need to assess,” Eullaffroy added, saying that Sánchez has been training with an individual coach for 12 weeks. “We have to coach him...He’s going to be a super important player, but he also needs to get to know us, to know our identity, our way of being, to know the club, the city, the fans, the media.”

Can Alexis Sánchez Find Chemistry?

With an average age of 24.5 (excluding Sánchez), CF Montréal is an incredibly young team. The squad has some raw talent, but lacks a true game-breaker, especially in midfield. Sánchez, who will wear the No. 10, will look to be that player and elevate the level of the youngsters around him. 

He will also be tasked with forming a potent attacking partnership with the club’s veteran frontman, Prince Owusu, who has 10 goals in 17 games but has never played a key role on a team that has challenged for the MLS Cup playoffs through his time in the league. 

Eullaffroy confirmed that Sánchez would not play on the right wing, but would likely be bound for a central role, with potential opportunities on the left side of Montréal’s 4-3-3. 

Currently sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference with 16 points in 18 games, Montréal are seven points away from the ninth and final spot in the MLS Cup playoffs. They will look to Sánchez to incite a miraculous resurgence and secure a place in the postseason for just the second time since 2016.