Fans across Montreal are gearing up for the Grey Cup, and as the Alouettes prepare for kickoff, supporters say they’re ready to tackle game day.
The team faces the Saskatchewan Roughriders Sunday night at Princess Auto Stadium, with Montreal aiming for another Grey Cup title.
The Roughriders enter the championship after finishing the regular season with a league-best 12-6 record. Montreal follows closely behind, ending its season second in the East Division at 10-8.
Saskatchewan is chasing its first Grey Cup win since 2013.
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For some fans visiting the city, the choice of who to cheer for is easy.
Patrick Boyle, a fan visiting from Toronto, says he plans to root for Montreal even if he ends up watching the game on the drive home.
“I’m going to be rooting for the Alouettes. Go Alouettes.”
Boyle says he supports Montreal teams because of his connection to the city.
“I’m a Habs fan, and I love the city. I love coming to Montreal, so it’s a great city. So, I mean, any team here, I support.”
He believes a win would carry major meaning for Montreal.
“I think it’d be huge, because, you know, outside of the Habs, there are not many teams left here — losing the Expos. So I think it’d be huge for the city and huge for the culture, and having one of the teams win. I mean, who doesn’t want to win?”
Boyle predicts a high-scoring win for the Alouettes:
“I think maybe 40–30 Alouettes.”
Not everyone in Montreal is cheering for the home team. Frank, from Saskatoon, didn’t hesitate to show where his loyalty lies.
“Go Riders,” he said.
He predicts a decisive Saskatchewan victory.
“Forty-two to 18. Roughriders.”
Even with the odds viewed as tight, Frank says history matters.
“I mean, it’s really close. But the history of the Grey Cup is massive. I mean, Saskatchewan is a classic. I mean, Saskatoon is Saskatchewan. The only professional team — we don’t have baseball, we don’t have hockey. We have football. We’re going to win.”
Local fan Pascal Beauchene says he doesn’t have a specific score prediction, but he believes the better team will come out on top.
“I don’t have a prediction bowl or anything, but may the best team win. I mean, those who are willing to win it, I think will come out of it. But of course, let’s hope that we bring it home for Montreal.”
Beauchene says another Grey Cup victory would help cement Montreal’s football identity.
“I mean, this would mean pretty much a statement — like, Montreal is a football city. It was something that was hard along the years, but I think proving it again this year would be making a statement for Montreal.”
He expects an entertaining matchup.
“I think it’s going to be a high-scoring game. I can’t predict actual numbers, but it’s going to be a high, very offensive game. That’s my feeling.”
Eric Girotto, born in Toronto but a Montreal resident for 17 years, proudly identifies as a die-hard Alouettes fan. Reflecting on how his passion for the team grew, he said:
“I used to be a big NFL fan, and at first I kind of disregarded the Alouettes. But two seasons ago, the season they won the Grey Cup, I started going to games in person. And from there, just seeing the games, seeing how exciting the game is, I fell fully in love with it, and I’ve been going to almost every single game, every season since then. So, I’m a big fan, and I’m excited for tonight.”
Girotto’s enthusiasm extends to the upcoming championship:
“I’m feeling good. I’m feeling good. We have dogs on our team, so I’m very excited. I mean, Davis Alexander, he hypes me up, the whole team. Everyone’s great on this team. I think it’s going to be a good game, and I’m really excited. I’m not stressed out. I’m not stressed out. I’m ready for this. I’m excited.”
He remains confident the team can overcome obstacles, including the looming challenge of a hamstring injury to star Davis Alexander:
“I think they’re probably going to target that hamstring. They’re probably going to try to hit him in that hamstring. I think he’s got to make sure that he avoids any hits on that leg. Try not to strain it too much when he’s running. But I think, like I said, he’s a dog. I think he’s a bigger dog in this fight. I think no matter what happens, he’s going to stay up. He’s going to make the plays. He’s going to be cracked up on that pre-workout. He loves that pre-workout, so I know he’s going to have a lot of that. He’s going to be ready to go. So, I think even though that’s a challenge, I think they’re going to overcome it.”
Looking ahead to the matchup, Girotto predicts a close finish:
“I think it’s going to be a tight matchup, but we make big plays. I think it’s going to go 34–31.”
And no matter the result, his loyalty to the team is unwavering:
“This team has battled all season long. No matter what happens, we stand behind the Al’s. We love this team, and no matter what happens, we got next year.”
Michael Palmorino, a lifelong Montrealer, captures the tension and excitement leading up to the Grey Cup:
“Stress and stress and stress. No, it’s a championship game. If you’re not feeling stress, you know, you gotta get the blood going, get excited. I’m excited. I’m stressed. I’m hopeful — all of the emotions rolled into one.”
He acknowledges the obstacles the team must navigate:
“The Alouettes’ biggest challenge is, of course, Davis Alexander’s hamstring and some of the injury bugs that have been plaguing this team all season. But they’ve been battling all year.”
“We got to be the underdog, we’re going to fight until we get that Grey Cup raised above our shoulders.”
Palmorino predicts a defensive showdown with a narrow margin:
“I’m thinking more of a 21-17 victory for the Als. So, that’s what I hope for and I hope, you know, for one exciting game. But, you know, Montreal is going to come on top.”
And reflecting on the season as a whole, he said:
“It was a heck of a season.”
“Some people were saying they weren’t going to make it, but they did. So, you know, win or lose, I’m proud of this team.”
Jacques Wang, another passionate Montreal fan, admits the Grey Cup brings nerves but also hope:
“I’m definitely feeling nervous tonight. I feel like this is going to be a tough game, but then again looking at what the predictions are and looking at how the other wets have been playing lately, I think this is a game that we could become a top of.”
Wang became a fan following the Alouettes’ 2023 Grey Cup victory, drawn to the excitement of Canadian football:
“I jumped on the bank wagon back in 23 when the Alps won their eighth great cup. So I think that was one of the events. Then again, I’ve been watching college football and at the end I fell in the States. So I guess it’s good to have a really good team here in Montreal and that plays in Canada.”
He stresses the importance of resilience and determination:
“I’ve seen the last game between the Rough Riders and the Lions. The Rough Riders had a very good comeback. So I guess the thing is just not give up until the very end because we managed to pull an upset in 23. So let’s just try to get this under… let’s just try to not give in and not try and just doing our best.”
Predicting a competitive matchup, he said:
“I think I’ll say probably 28 to 24.”
And he praises the Alouettes’ perseverance this season:
“I mean it’s been a very good season. You know after Davis Alexander got injured I wasn’t sure that we’re gonna make the playoffs but then again we got to where we are right now. So I’m just saying good job guys. We didn’t give up and I know you’re not gonna give up tonight and I know you’re not gonna give up next season.”
The Grey Cup matchup between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders gets underway tonight at Princess Auto Stadium.
As excitement builds in Montreal, fans — whether local or visiting from across the country — are ready for a dramatic championship finish.
-With files from The Canadian Press
