Laurent Courtois has been dismissed as head coach of Montreal, marking the first Major League Soccer coaching change of the season. The decision came Monday following a dismal start—four losses and a draw—leaving the club desperate for a turnaround.

Assistant coach Marco Donadel has been named interim manager, stepping in just two days after a crushing 3-0 defeat to Nashville. Montreal’s struggles have been glaring, failing to score since their season-opening 3-2 loss to Atlanta on February 22. The team faces an especially tough stretch, with seven consecutive away matches to begin their league campaign.

Courtois, who took over from Hernán Losada in January 2024, was Montreal’s 10th head coach since joining MLS in 2012. Last season, he guided the team to an eighth-place finish in the Eastern Conference (11 wins, 13 losses, 10 draws) before falling to Atlanta in a playoff penalty shootout. Now, the search begins for a permanent replacement as Montreal looks to salvage its season.