The off-season was once again too long for Vancouver Whitecaps defender Julian Gressel.

Traded to the B次元官网网址楥aps from D.C. United in July, the 29-year-old wing back proved to be a standout for his new club last year, putting up two goals and two assists in 13 appearances.

But Vancouver narrowly missed the playoffs, leaving Gressel to watch post-season on television.

B次元官网网址淭he seasonB次元官网网址檚 over, IB次元官网网址檓 sitting there watching the playoffs and it hurts a little bit, you know?B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sick and tired of that feeling. And, you know, I want to want to be back there, have that feeling again.B次元官网网址�

Making playoffs is at the forefront of the WhitecapsB次元官网网址� minds as Major League Soccer clubs open training camps this week.

After starting last season with a dismal 1-6-1 record, the B次元官网网址楥aps took 39 points from 26 games down the stretch. Ultimately, the run wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough and the club finished with a 12-15-7 record, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, we had a good amount (of success) at the end of the season. We almost made the playoffs,B次元官网网址� striker Brian White said. B次元官网网址淪o if weB次元官网网址檙e able to have that kind of run at the beginning rather than the end, we set ourselves up for a good position in the playoffs. ItB次元官网网址檚 important to start off strong.B次元官网网址�

The shaky start was the WhitecapsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淎chilles heelB次元官网网址� last year, coach Vanni Sartini said.

B次元官网网址淭he pre-season is very important for the start of the season. So today in the first meeting, I told the guys that we need to go 100 per cent from the first day,B次元官网网址� he said after his groupB次元官网网址檚 first full day of training Monday.

In addition to MLS play, the 2023 campaign will see the B次元官网网址楥aps take part in the CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the Canadian Championship last year. TheyB次元官网网址檒l start by hosting Honduran side Real Espana on March 3, less than two weeks after MLS regular-season play begins.

B次元官网网址淪o big games will arrive immediately and we need to be ready to go,B次元官网网址� Sartini said.

Some notable faces were missing as the Whitecaps returned to the pitch on Monday.

The club opted against picking up the options on a number of players after last season, including Canadian striker Lucas Cavallini and veteran defender Jake Nerwinski. Goalkeeper Cody Cropper, midfielder Leonard Owusu, forward Tosaint Ricketts and defenders Marcus Godinho and Florian Jungwirth also saw their contracts come to an end.

Vancouver has since made a few additions, including Canadian defender Karfia Yao, who the club acquired from CF Montreal in the MLS re-entry draft.

The B次元官网网址楥aps further bolstered their back line Monday, signing Uruguayan centre back Mathias Laborda to a three-year contract. The deal includes a club option for the 2026 season.

The 23-year-old defender comes to Vancouver from Club Nacional de Football in the Uruguayan Primera Division, where he started in 82 of 101 appearances, registering six goals and an assist and helping the club to championships in 2019, 2020 and 2022.

The six-foot, 170-pound Laborda has also represented Uruguay at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels.

Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a release announcing the move that the team has been scouting Laborda for over a year.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a young, intelligent, and tenacious defender,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢athias is comfortable on the ball and brings a mix of experience as well as a potential for growth.B次元官网网址�

Speaking through a translator after his first training session Monday, Laborda described himself as a focused player.

B次元官网网址淚 know what I need to do and I do whatB次元官网网址檚 best for the team first of all before anything,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really good aerially. I love defensive battles.B次元官网网址�

Laborda may not be the last addition the Whitecaps make ahead of the regular season. Sartini said there could be B次元官网网址渙ne or twoB次元官网网址� moves to come, but that he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to keep a large roster of 30 players because heB次元官网网址檇 prefer to focus on 23 or 24 athletes.

The group will also benefit from having some of the players they added during last seasonB次元官网网址檚 run around for a full year, he said.

Vancouver signed midfielder Andreas Cubas to a four-year designated-player deal last April, but the Argentine struggled with injuries through the start of his tenure and was limited to 18 appearances in 2022.

The B次元官网网址楥aps also added Gressel in July and midfielder Alessandro Schopf in August.

Having the trio around for training camp and the beginning of the 2023 season will make a difference, Sartini said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a huge advantage. ItB次元官网网址檚 an enormous advantage,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think those three players, they should be considered like new signings in the sense that I would say IB次元官网网址檓 confident that they will be more impactful than they were last year.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press