Weston McKennie has started in each of Juventus’ opening two Serie A matches of the new league season and the American will be pushing to retain his starting spot for this weekend’s showdown with AS Roma.
McKennie has helped the Old Lady to four points out of a possible six in the opening two matches, most recently logging 62 minutes in a scoreless draw with Sampdoria on Monday. The U.S. men’s national team midfielder was linked with a move away from Turin this summer, but has remained a key piece of Massimiliano Allegri’s side so far. McKennie overcame an offseason injury and will be fighting to stay healthy ahead of USMNT involvement this September for Gregg Berhalter’s side. AS Roma is 2-0-0 to start the Serie A schedule and will be the toughest test for McKennie and Juventus so far this summer.
In England, Christian Pulisic and Chelsea host Leicester City seeking a bounce-back performance. Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United visit Brighton & Hove Albion while Chris Richards will aim for involvement in Crystal Palace’s trip to Manchester City.
In Germany, Joe Scally and Borussia Moenchengladbach faces Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena while Ricardo Pepi and Augsburg take on Hoffenheim.
In France, Folarin Balogun will aim for a third-consecutive match with a goal as Stade Reims hosts Lyon.
Elsewhere, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic visit Dundee United in SPFL action. Sam Rogers and Rosenborg travel to Tromso in Norwegian Eliteserien play. Taylor Booth and Cole Bassett headline the American contingent in the Eredivisie schedule. Reggie Cannon and Boavista welcome Benfica to town in Portgual.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
England
Premier League
Christian Pulisic and Chelsea host Leicester City on Saturday.
Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United visit Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream and Fulham visit Matt Turner and Arsenal on Saturday.
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace visit Manchester City on Saturday.
Championship
Josh Sargent, Jonathan Tomkinson and Norwich City visit Lynden Gooch and Sunderland on Saturday.
Zack Steffen, Matthew Hoppe and Middlesbrough host Swansea City on Saturday.
Ethan Horvath and Luton Town host Sheffield United on Friday.
Matt Olosunde and Preston North End visit Cardiff City on Saturday.
Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Auston Trusty and Birmingham City visit Rotherham United on Saturday.
Daryl Dike is OUT (Injury) for West Bromwich Albion.
Germany
Bundesliga
Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund visit Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Joe Scally and Borussia Moenchengladbach visit Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Ricardo Pepi and Augsburg visit Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Kevin Paredes and Wolfsburg visit RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Jordan Pefok and Union Berlin visit Schalke on Saturday.
Pellegrino Matarazzo‘s Stuttgart visit Cologne on Sunday.
Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt visit Werder Bremen on Sunday.
2. Bundesliga
Julian Green, Timothy Tillman and Greuther Furth visit Hannover on Sunday.
Terrence Boyd and Kaiserslautern host Magdeburg on Sunday.
George Bello and Arminia Bielefeld host Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday.
Nico Carrera and Holstein Kiel host Sandhausen on Sunday.
Bryang Kayo and Nuremberg host Hamburg on Saturday.
3. Liga
Johan Gomez and FSV Zwickau visit SC Verl on Saturday.
Spain
La Liga
Yunus Musah and Valencia host Atletico Madrid on Monday.
Sergino Dest and Barcelona host Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Jonathan Gomez and Real Sociedad visit Elche on Saturday.
Luca De La Torre and Celta Vigo visit Girona on Friday.
Segunda Liga
Samuel Shashoua and Tenerife visit Levante on Saturday.
Italy
Serie A
Weston McKennie and Juventus host AS Roma on Saturday.
Serie B
Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessmann, Andrija Novakovich, Jack DeVries and Venezia visit Cittadella on Sunday.
Anthony Fontana and Ascoli visit Palermo on Saturday.
France
Ligue 1
Erik Palmer-Brown and Troyes host Angers on Sunday.
Folarin Balogun and Stade Reims host Lyon on Sunday.
Tim Weah is OUT (Injury) for Lille.
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Cole Bassett and Fortuna Sittard visit Heerenveen on Saturday.
Taylor Booth and FC Utrecht host Ajax on Sunday.
Richie Ledezma is OUT (Injury) for PSV.
Portugal
Liga Portugal
Reggie Cannon and Boavista host Benfica on Saturday.
Alex Mendez and Vizela host Gil Vicente on Monday.
Scotland
Premiership
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic visit Ian Harkes and Dundee United on Sunday.
Christian Ramirez, Dante Polvara and Aberdeen host Livingston on Saturday.
Malik Tillman, James Sands and Rangers host Ross County on Saturday.
Joe Efford and Motherwell visit Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Belgium
Pro League
Sam Vines and Royal Antwerp visit Gent on Sunday.
Mark McKenzie and Genk visit RFC Seraing on Saturday.
Owen Otasowie and Club Brugge visit Sporting Charleroi on Friday.
Bryan Reynolds, Griffin Yow and Westerlo host Eupen on Sunday.
Greece
Super League
Konrad de la Fuente and Olympiakos visit Asteras Tripolis on Monday.
Turkey
Super Lig
Haji Wright and Antalyaspor visit Gaziantep on Friday.
Tyler Boyd and Besiktas host Sivasspor on Monday.
Denmark
Superliagen
Christian Cappis and Brondby host Midtjylland on Monday.
Emmanuel Sabbi and Odense visit Silkeborg on Sunday.
Austria
2. Liga
Ulysses Llanez and SKN St. Poelten visit Admira Modeling on Friday.
Hungary
NB 1
Henry Wingo and Ferencvaros host Budapest Honved on Sunday.
Norway
Eliteserien
Sam Rogers and Rosenborg visit Tromso on Sunday.
Kobe Hernandez-Foster and HamKam host FC Haugesund on Sunday.
Sweden
Allsvenskan
Forrest Lasso, Joe Corona and Sundsvall visit Jeffrey Gal, Joe Gyau and Degerfors on Saturday.
Romain Gall is OUT (Injury) for Malmo.
Israel
Ligat HaAL
Josh Cohen and Maccabi Haifa host Maccabi Netanya on Saturday.
Argentina
Primeira Liga
Alan Sonora and Independiente host Velez Sarsfield on Sunday.
Brazil
Serie A
Johnny Cardoso and Internacional host Juventude on Monday.
“Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I thought my behaviour at that point, it was deserved the yellow card. I always say, I repeat myself, but when you don’t when you don’t believe that you’re getting performances out of the referee, I think you have two options: to sit there and take it or to escalate your behaviour to try to make a point to see if you can affect the way that decisions are getting made.
Sometimes it works for you. Sometimes it works against you, but I’ll never be a guy that just sits there and takes it, that’s not me.”
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/every-word-jesse-marsh-leeds-24872346
I’m with Jesse
Pefok with a hat trick of Assists today. Dude has been great to his start in the Bundesliga. Pulisic meh… Aaronson Adams played ok…. Reyna has a long ways to go still… Sargent scoring again…. McKennie played ok…. Wright with two goals yesterday…. Richards mop up minutes…. de La Torre no minutes… Weah still injured…. Ream and Robinson ok outing today… Tillman and Sands good showing today. Other Americans in Europe still with games to play.
Pepi started for Augsburg today, didn’t score. Got pulled after 56′ so I’m guessing he wasn’t great but I didn’t see any of it.
My assessment of Pulisic is this… It’s on him at this point. Either make a move or make Tuchel believe you can be more than a sub. Right now I see a Pulisic that doesn’t believe in his ability. He needs to leave Chelsea.
Just 2 assists for Pefok.
Tillman and Sands both started for Rangers in their 4-0 win over Ross County. Tillman started at the #10 spot in a double pivot and went off after 65 or so with Rangers up 3-0…dude was everywhere and was unlucky not to have two goals, drew a yellow when he toasted a guy in the first half. Tillman’s emerging as one of the HUGE bright spots of this season. Sands got a soft yellow at 10 minutes in and got subbed out at halftime, probably to protect him.
Tillman and Sargent have likely almost 100% put themselves into the September camp, I’d guess.
Robinson and Ream both started in Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal. Robinson got a yellow, Ream played 88 minutes.
McKennie started on the bench and got 23 minutes – at right wing – in Juve’s 1-1 draw with Roma. Didn’t see any of it. Anybody see how he’s been doing?
Meh on some of the other results. Neither Steffen nor Hoppe was even on the bench for Middlesbrough today, not sure what that’s about.
Aaronson left around the 80th minute in Leeds’ 1-0 loss to Brighton; they were lousy in the first half and dominated the second half but Aaronson literally got kicked off the field and Jesse Marsch got a yellow protesting it.
Pulisic got what’s looking like his usual 15 subbing in for Raheem Sterling for Chelsea today. Didn’t score. Crystal Palace continues to play Chris Richards off the bench, who came in in the midst of Crystal Palace’s second half meltdown as CP shipped four goals to Man City and ended up losing 4-2 after being up 2-0 at halftime.
We might have to put our “America Rules The Prem” signs down for this week, anyhow.
Also, Reyna wasn’t even on the bench for Dortmund today. Not a shock, he was wretched last week.
Luca de La Torree didn’t get on the field for Celto Vigo’s 1-0 win over Girona yesterday either.
Form of some of our key guys is definitely a mixed bag at the moment.
Reyna hasn’t dressed yet on the road seems to be part of their return to play plan.
Thanks for that. Genuinely have no opinion what we might get out of Reyna for Qatar. Doubtful he’s a starter but hopefully he’s in good enough form by then he can contribute for us off the bench. I’d personally play him as a 10 (off the bench behind Aaronson) in a 4-2-3-1 with a double pivot behind him, and I think our personnel suits that better than a 4-3-3.
Seeing how influential Tillman looks as a 10 as well, I don’t see how we avoid that.
With all this right wing McKennie is playing this year for Juve, plus the fact that Weah’s started the season injured for Lille and probably won’t be in starter’s form for us in September, I think September’s the time we finally start Aaronson at the 10, give Tillman and Reyna looks there as well, move McKennie to right wing, and go to that 4-2-3-1 double pivot that seems to suit our personnel best. HOPING Gregg sees it the same way.
Anyone know what’s up with John Brooks? DC Utd could use a free agent like him.
Can’t afford him.
MLS teams aren’t very excited to pay CBs DP money, which is the level Brooks feels he’s worth.
Sargent just scored again for Norwich in a 1-0 win against Sunderland…who will be shocked they didn’t at least tie. Had a certain goal blocked by an unwitting defender who took a straight shot from point-blank right in the chest, went down like he’d been shot. (Ouch!)
Was just a tap-in, but he was lively again and he did the hard running on a counter, his CB just couldn’t keep up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhxpTDLyvWg
Hoppe should have stayed at Schalke. He would be starting in the Bundesliga instead of getting U21 games for a Championship team. I said it then…Schaller too big of a club to stay in 2. long…
But not good enough to stay up based on there performance today.
Phew. Yeah, it was grim. Union Berlin blasted them off the field. I think Pefok was the only guy on Berlin who DIDN’T score today.
Haji with two more goals today. Takes his tally to 5 goals in 4 games. Sitting second in golden boot race. Has to be given another opportunity in September. I have stated that Haji was not given a fair assessment. He did some good things in the June window. And he actually produced the USMNT best two chances against El Salvador in that firs t half before being unceremoniously pulled.
Alex Mighten and Nottingham Forrest play Tottenham on Sunday. Alex has made one 7 minute appearance this season and from the sounds of it has filed paperwork to make his one time switch to the States.
Joel Sonora and Maritimo play Portimonense on Saturday. Joel Joel signed for them yesterday.
Luca Koleosho and Espanyol play Real Madrid on Sunday. Luca has already made two La Liga appearances in the first two matches of the season for Espanyol playing 10 minutes and 13 minutes respectively.