Toronto FC Collen Warner, right, battles for the ball against Montreal Impact Patrice Bernier (8) during first half semi-final Canadian Championship soccer action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Whether through injuries or neglect, it has been a trying season for Bernier with the Montreal Impact. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

MONTREAL - Whether through injuries or neglect, it has been a trying season for Patrice Bernier with the Montreal Impact.

But the veteran midfielder may get a chance to return to action when the Impact play host to the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night.

Both of the team's regular defensive midfielders, Marco Donadel and Calum Mallace, will be out of the lineup, which leaves an opening for Bernier, Kyle Bekker, Eric Alexander or another player to get a rare start.

"It will be an opportunity," said Bernier, the team captain and 2012 team player of the year who will celebrate his 36th birthday on Wednesday. "We'll see who plays.

"I'm there for the team but if the door opens, I'll take it for sure."

Donadel was suspended after seeing the red card for a tackle from behind in a 3-0 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday night. Mallace left the game with an injured left foot and has been ruled out even if an MRI showed no broken bones or ligament damage.

Coach Mauro Biello said Mallace has inflammation in the foot and is also likely to sit out Saturday when Montreal completes a three-game homestand against D.C. United.

With right back Ambroise Oyongo returning from a one-game suspension, veteran Nigel Reo-Coker is likely to take one midfield spot. Bekker, a mid-season acquisition from Oakville, Ont., who scored his first Impact goal in a 1-1 draw last week in San Jose, has earned more playing time.

But the popular choice would be Bernier, even if the Brossard, Que., native may now be only the fans' second favourite player after international star Didier Drogba, who has four goals in three MLS starts.

Since Drogba joined the team and Biello replaced Frank Klopas as interim head coach, the Impact (10-11-6) have two wins at home and a pair of draws on the road. They hold the sixth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but hope to move up.

"The trip to California helped a lot," said Bernier. "The music is blasting, the players are more at ease.

"Other players came into games and showed they can perform. We have to make sure it keeps going but we can't get too comfortable. It's nice but we still have to keep getting points."

Bernier, who is returning from an injury, has played in only 13 games this season and started only three. He looked to be out of favour with Klopas, and his wife caused a mini-controversy last month when she blasted the former coach on social media when Bernier was overlooked for a start.

It may be the Impact are in the surge that often follows a coaching change. If so, the Fire can counter that.

After losing a third straight game on Saturday, last-place Chicago (7-16-6) fired Canadian head coach Frank Yallop and his two assistants and named former Columbus bench boss Brian Bliss as interim head coach.

"We just have to be aware," said Impact forward Dominic Oduro. "Sometimes players want to play for the new coach.

"It kind of changes their mindset and their ability to execute. So we have to be mindful of that. But the past four games we've been great."

Thanks to a spike in ticket sales when Drogba arrived, the Impact sold out their last three homes games, but plenty of tickets remain for the Chicago tilt. It was originally scheduled for April 18, but was postponed so Montreal could prepare for the CONCACAF Champions League final.

It will be the second meeting with Chicago in two weeks. On Sept. 5, Drogba got a hat-trick, including the game-winner, in his first MLS start, a comeback 4-3 victory.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015