U.S. men's national team star Weston McKennie kept his spot in the Juventus XI, but he couldn't separate the two sides in a 0-0 draw with Napoli.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
McKennie starts vs NapoliWeah comes off benchJuve held in 0-0 drawGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
After starting and scoring in Juve's Champions League win over PSV, Weston McKennie was right back in manager Thiago Motta's XI for Saturday's clash with Napoli. Unfortunately for McKennie and Juve, Saturday's match was nowhere near as straightforward as Napoli frustrated the Old Lady in a 0-0 draw.
McKennie played 80 minutes for Juve, starting alongside Manuel Locatelli and Teun Koopmeiners in midfield. The American completed 19 of his 22 passes while winning two of his five duels. He was joined on the pitch in the second half by USMNT teammate Tim Weah, who came on as a substitute after halftime.
AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Saturday provided further evidence that McKennie has indeed won Motta's trust after Juve spent most of the summer trying to move on from the American. McKennie ultimately opted to remain at Juve, signing a new contract to commit his future to the Italian club.
It is a big contrast to the start of the season, where McKennie played just 24 minutes prior to their matchup vs. PSV. The coach, though, has turned to him for these two vital matches, showing that McKennie is at least rising up the depth chart in Turin.
Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?
McKennie had a fantastic season with Juventus during the 2023-24 campaign, providing seven assists after returning from a challenging loan spell at Leeds the previous season.
Imago WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?
After playing three games in seven days, Juve will now have a bit of a break in comparison before they take on Genoa on Sept. 28.