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MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact may soon have a European connection: Bologna FC.Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed Thursday that he is part of a group of investors whose offer to buy the 105-year-old Italian club was accepted by the teams board of directors.Saputo said in a statement that a letter of intent was signed and they hope to finalize the agreement on Oct.15.I would like to thank all the people involved in the transaction, especially the loyal supporters of Bologna FC for their encouragement throughout the process, Saputo said.The investment group is led by New York lawyer Joe Tacopina, who resigned as vice-chairman of AS Roma to pursue Bologna.The Impact have a connection with Bologna in striker Marco Di Vaio, who left the Italian club to sign as the Impacts first designated player in 2012.The 38-year-old Di Vaio is set to retire at the end of the Major League Soccer season and is expected to take some form of non-playing job with his former club, although he said nothing was settled on that front. I hope so, Di Vaio said after practice at Saputo Stadium. Were waiting for it to be confirmed on Oct. 15.I hope everything goes well. After, well see if theres a possibility to work again with Joey and with Bologna.The club often called the Rossoblu for their red and blue striped shirts has won seven Italian league titles, but none since 1964. After a weak 2013-14 campaign in Serie A, the top league in Italy, the team was relegated to Serie B.Di Vaio said seeing his former club struggle hurt him.Yeah, a lot, because I fought with my teammates to keep the team in first division, he said. Its too bad they were relegated, but now there is a chance to be something.Its important for the future of the club and the city. If they close (out) the contract, it would be a great moment.The Impact played a friendly match at Bolognas Stadio DallAra in November, 2012, losing 1-0 on a goal from Daniele Paponi.Paponi and midfielder Andrea Pisanu were then loaned to Montreal for the 2013 season, but have since gone back.Having Saputo as owner of both teams could lead to more exchanges.There would be more opportunity, but the important thing for me is that the Impact already have a future guaranteed and now well see if Bologna can have that, said Di Vaio.Added coach Frank Klopas: Well see. I dont know how it can impact us now. Its a personal investment (by Saputo) with the group. The important thing is Marco can go back and the relationship will only get better. How this club can benefit, well see in the future.Reports in Italy said the investors will inject six million euros (C$8.4 million) immediately in the money-losing club and another 6.3 million euros ($8.9 million) by the end of the season. They also agreed to renovate the 38,279-seat stadium.The board voted in favour of the Tacopina-Saputo bid on Wednesday night.The reports said fans were excited that the sale may give the club the resources to get back to Serie A. Currently, Bologna is sixth place in Serie B at 3-2-2.Bologna FC was founded in 1909 and won league championships in 1925, 1929, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1941 and 1964. Italian Cups followed in 1970 and 1974.The Impacts ties to Italy took another turn this week with the arrival of holding midfielder Marco Donadel, who is to train with the team for 10 days. The 31-year-old former Napoli player insists he is only visiting his friend Di Vaio and is not on a try-out, although he is currently without a club. He would not be able to sign until 2015. Custom St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Rogers Hornsby Jersey . They started shooting the puck. 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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be held out of the start of training camp as a precaution with what the team described as minor injuries. First-year coach Mike Johnston said both players were injured in the lead-up to camp, which begins Friday. Neither injury is considered long term. Johnston added Crosbys issue is not related to a wrist injury that hindered him late last season and into the Stanley Cup playoffs. "Well see over the next few days, I dont expect any of them to be long," Johnston said. "But when the trainers and the doctors inform us at this time of the year that we better be cautious with a few people, then were going to be cautious. ... These are injuries that have taken place in the short term. I havent watched the skates since theyve been here, when theyve been out on the ice skating, but its been in the last four to five days." While there is no timetable for either players return, Johnston added he expects it to be "fairly short." Johnston said he doesnt mind dealing with minor injuries at this time of the year, as they are a result of the players pushing themselves for the start of the season. "The issue is, I think that sometimes the guys, when they get in here together, they get traiining together, they get on the ice together.ddddddddddddIts run by the players, so its controlled to a degree, but I think the guys, the good thing here is that theyre training hard," he said. "They wanted to push each other on the ice. They wanted to push each other off the ice. Theyre together, which is really good to see." While the Penguins will be without Crosby and Malkin, forward Pascal Dupuis and defenceman Olli Maatta will wear red non-contact jerseys in practice on Friday as they come back from significant injuries. Dupuis has not played since last December, when he tore the ACL in his right knee against the Ottawa Senators. Maatta was expected to miss up to six months after undergoing shoulder surgery in May. Dupuis said he feels 100 per cent and expects to begin taking contact in about a week. "It feels great," Dupuis said. "The timeline for recovery, the ligament just needs to heal a little more ... I have been on the ice. I have skated quite a bit, so hockey-wise I think Im ready. Theyre trying to avoid me already. Im trying to bump into them to see how it feels, so theyll see the red jersey coming up. "If Im wearing it, its for a reason ... but if you asked me, Id be wearing a black jersey and bumping into everybody." ' ' '