Josef Martínez Brings CF Montréal Back to Life in the MLS Playoffs

Just six weeks ago, CF Montréal was staring down the edge of a cliff. Not only were they losing, but they were getting thrashed. A 5-0 here, a 4-1 there, those kinds of beatdowns drain any fanbase and light a fire under the coach's seat. That’s exactly the situation Montréal found themselves in before flipping the switch, almost like hitting a reset button. Now, with Josef Martínez spearheading the attack, they haven’t just made the playoffs, they’re rolling in as the "hottest team right now."

A team with title aspirations can’t afford to get blown out like that. Three straight losses, and suddenly they were knocking on elimination’s door. No one believed in them anymore. But then, something shifted. New blood, like Caden Clark, breathed life into an attack that was deader than your average office holiday party. And Josef Martínez reminded everyone why he was once one of the deadliest strikers in MLS. The guy has come back to life over the last few weeks, and that’s exactly why Montréal is such a dangerous playoff contender.

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But before we get into the present, we’ve gotta understand how this team clawed its way back from the brink. The defense? Yeah, that’s still Montréal’s Achilles’ heel. They’ve got the worst defense of any playoff team, and that’s scary. Giving up goals like they have could spell disaster in knockout games. But if there’s one reason Montréal’s fans have hope, it’s a man wearing the number 17: Josef Martínez. The Venezuelan has finally hit his stride, and what he’s done in recent weeks has been nothing short of magical, six of his 11 goals this season came in the last five games.

Of course, Martínez didn’t do it all alone. Caden Clark, still a young guy, joined the club pretty quietly, but in just nine games, he’s notched four goals and four assists. And this was on a team that initially saw him as a luxury sub. For a guy who played 23 times for Minnesota United and only managed one assist, what he’s doing in Montréal feels almost like a personal miracle. Clark and Martínez have struck up a lethal partnership, and together, they’re carrying the team on their backs at a pivotal moment.

The turnaround this season happened in a way that few saw coming. Montréal racked up wins in September, snagging 13 out of 15 possible points, and climbed the standings. When everyone thought they were finished, they dug deep and did what had to be done. But the real challenge came in securing that playoff spot in a do-or-die game against New York City FC, after a painful 2-0 loss to Charlotte just two weeks prior. It was as if that defeat to Charlotte served as a wake-up call.

With a 2-0 win over NYCFC, sealed by goals from Clark and Martínez, Montréal not only locked up the three points, but they also sent a clear message to the rest of the league: they’re not just here to make up the numbers in the playoffs. Joel Waterman, one of the team’s leaders, mentioned how they’d had some tough conversations about that bad run of games, and everyone knew the season could still be saved. That internal honesty is what got Montréal back on track. The schedule helped too, of course, but having an easier slate doesn’t mean much if you don’t take advantage of it.

Now, fate has lined up Atlanta United for Montréal’s next challenge. Martínez, who became a legend in Atlanta, now has a shot at eliminating his old team at Stade Saputo, just three weeks after scoring two goals against them in a crucial match.

If Montréal gets past Atlanta, they’ll face Inter Miami, and the chance to play against Lionel Messi is the kind of motivation that’ll fire up any team. But to get there, they need to keep playing the way they’ve been, Martínez leading the charge, Clark oozing confidence, and the defense at least trying to hold it together.