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MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact are looking to former Italian international Matteo Ferrari to add some style to their central defence. Buccaneers Lavonte David Elite Jersey . The Major League Soccer expansion team announced Thursday it has signed 32-year-old Ferrari, who spent the last two seasons playing in Turkey. Before that, he played in Italy for Inter Milan, Parma and AS Roma. Ferrari has been with the Impact in training camp since Feb. 14 under an agreement in which he and the team would look each other over and decide whether to sign a deal. Despite his resume, which includes 11 appearances for Italy and trips to the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and Euro 2004, he is not a designated player, or one who earns more than the league maximum of $350,000 per season. Team president Joey Saputo and technical director Nick De Santis invited Ferrari to camp after a chance meeting during a recent scouting trip to Italy. The Algerian-born Ferrari looked fit and played well in two matches this week at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic pre-season tournament in Orlando, Fla. "Im very happy for this opportunity to play an important role with the Impact in its inaugural season," Ferrari said in a statement. "I hope to help this team progress and succeed in its first campaign in MLS. "Ive only been here a short time, but Im happy with the organization. The coaches and the players have been great to me." The signing came on the day that another former Italian international, six-foot-two striker Bernardo Corradi, began a tryout with the Impact in Orlando. The 35-year-old known as much for on-field discipline issues as for his scoring touch has played for Lazio, Valencia and Parma in Italy and spent the 2006-07 season with Manchester City, where he was used sparingly. Ferrari will be added to the roster upon receipt of his international transfer certificate. "We are extremely pleased to add a player of this quality to our team," said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. "He has already fit into our group in a very good way and we believe that his experience and leadership make us stronger." Ferrari spent the last two seasons with Turkish first division club Besiktas, winning last years Turkish Cup in 2011. He played in more than 200 games in Italys Serie A, winning two Italian Cups and one Italian Super Cup. The six-foot-one sweeper has played 22 Champions League games, 19 as a starter, and played 21 UEFA Cup matches. Ferrari also played eight games on loan with English Premier League side Everton in 2005-2006. The Impact plays its first MLS game on March 10 in Vancouver. Their home opener is March 17 at Olympic Stadium against the Chicago Fire. Buccaneers Michael Johnson Camo Jersey . Vincent Lecavalier - whose Philadelphia Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night - told reporters after the morning skate that it does make him think twice about the subject, but stopped short on saying if it should be taken out altogether. Buccaneers Alterraun Verner Limited Jersey . The Miami star has sure had fun against his old nemesis this season. James scored a season-high 42 points and the Heat tuned up for a showdown with Oklahoma City by beating the Mavericks 117-106 Tuesday night. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- All the missing pieces -- defence and a running game -- are aligning at the right time for Eli Manning and the New York Giants. And just in time to play the Packers. After routing the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 Sunday in the NFC wild-card game, the Giants head to Green Bay next weekend, a place where they will need all the help they can muster. Manning carried the Giants (10-7) for much of the season, hoping the defence would get stingy, the pass rush would materialize and the running game would get on track. Now, all of that is happening. "A great mix of run and pass and these guys have a great understanding of what our offence is," Manning said of the help hes receiving. "If we can get that run game going like we did in the second half, that opens up a lot of windows." And if the defence remains impenetrable, watch out. "If we can play defence like that, we will continue to make ourselves heard in this tournament," coach Tom Coughlin said. Manning punctuated his best pro season by throwing for three touchdowns and scrambling for a 14-yard gain that woke up New Yorks offence in its first post-season victory since its Super Bowl upset of undefeated New England four years ago. Next up is as big a challenge: the defending champion Packers (15-1), who won here 38-35 in December. "We know they are a good team," Manning said. "We played them tough here, did some good things here, we scored some points. We know offensively we are going to have to play strong, score some points." The team that couldnt run the ball will be sprinting there, bringing along a defence the Packers actually might fear. Not to mention the passing offence led by Manning, who hooked up on a 72-yard catch and run by Hakeem Nicks in the third quarter that put away the inept Falcons (10-7). Manning also connected on a 4-yard TD with Nicks in the second period, and a 27-yard TD throw to Mario Manningham in the fourth quarter that finished it off. The Giants last post-season trip to frigid Lambeau Field was a 23-20 overtime victory for the NFC championship two weeks before they upset the Patriots. "Cold, I remember that. I remember coach Coughlins face. I remember (tackle) David Diehl sweating and it froze on his hair and he had icicles on his hair," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "And I remember us winning. "Hopefully, we can go back there and do it again." The tempo in the first playoff game at MetLife Stadium was set by New Yorks defence, which never allowed Atlanta to get going, and by the leagues lowest-ranked rushing game, which ran for a season-high 172 yards, 92 by Brandon Jacobs and 63 by Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants averaged 5.5 yards a carry, two yards more than in the regular season. For all of Jacobs and Bradshaws success, it was Mannings escape and 14-yard dash on third down in the second period that got the Giants rolling. Jacobs soon broke a 34-yard run, and Manning hit Nicks on a post pattern to put the Giants up 7-2. "I dont think anyone is game-planningg for me to run the ball," Manning said, "but obviously there were a couple of situations where you have to do it. Buccaneers Michael Johnson Lights Out Jersey. I am not scared of running to get a few yards." The Giants never really had to look back as the Falcons bumbled their way to their third straight playoff loss under coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan. "They did a great job of defending us, especially in the second half," veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez said. "That shouldnt happen to a team like we have. Were a lot better than this." New York was aided greatly by Atlantas penchant for gambling on fourth downs -- and failing. Twice the Giants stymied the Falcons on fourth-and-1 as Ryans sneaks went nowhere. The defence also stopped Michael Turner, supposedly the most effective runner on the field, on a third-and-inches late in the third period. "That really inspired everybody, to be honest with you," Coughlin said. "Those plays that our defence made really inspired everybody. Atlanta missed on a fourth-down try in overtime that cost the Falcons a game against New Orleans during the season. While they negated New Yorks recently revitalized pass rush for much of the day, the Falcons couldnt gain any traction on the ground, being held to 64 yards rushing. "Our defence played great, kept us in the lead," Manning said. Other than some sporadic movement, Atlantas offence was incompetent -- particularly in short yardage. "Its less than a yard, less than half of a yard. Its a play we go through all the time," Smith said. "I felt it was the right play both times, but we didnt execute. We should be able to move the ball there." Both offences sputtered in the first half with an assortment of penalties, drops and poor throws. When the Falcons wheeled out the no-huddle offence, though, they marched from their 10 to a fourth-and 1 at the New York 24. On the first play of the second quarter, Ryan was stacked up on his sneak. But it turned out positively for the Falcons anyway. Giants guard Chris Snee was called for holding, and, from his 13, Manning was pressured back into the end zone by James Sanders. He threw the ball away to avoid the sack, resulting in a safety. New York had its own fourth-and-inches run on its first touchdown drive. Jacobs ran over safety Thomas DeCoud on the play from the Atlanta six-yard line. Nicks caught his post pattern over Dominique Franks, the fill-in for injured cornerback Brent Grimes, to make it 7-2. Notes: It was the first time a team scored exactly two points in an NFL post-season game. ... The Giants most recent home playoff victory was a 41-0 rout of Minnesota for the 2000 NFC title. ... Atlantas last playoff win was in 2005 over St. Louis when Michael Vick still was the Falcons quarterback. ... Ryan was 24 for 41 for 199 yards and was sacked twice. .. There were no turnovers in the game. ... Giants CB Aaron Ross and RB D.J. Ware left with concussions. ... Gonzalez is 0-5 in playoff games in his 15-year career. ' ' '