
<p>Weston McKennie, alongside Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah, has found himself sidelined as the Juventus midfielder pulled out from US Men’s National Team (USMNT) duty due to a knee issue.</p>



<p>The United States took control of the series with a 3-0 win on Friday in Austin, Texas. All three goals scored by Ricardo Pepi, Antonee Robinson, and Gio Reyna had <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/most-successful-americans-in-champions-league-history-20231029-WST-464940.html">McKennie</a>, a pivotal player in that game, credited with an assist.</p>



<p>The result of this game and the away leg on November 20 will determine not only which team advances in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/concacaf-nations-league-schedule/">Nations League</a>. It will also decide which team advances in the race to host the prestigious <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/copa-america-tv-schedule/">Copa America</a> tournament in the United States in 2024.</p>



<p>The midfielder played the whole 90 minutes on November 17, but Gregg Berhalter will miss him for the return leg after the 25-year-old was sidelined due to a knee injury. </p>



<p>He has since had to return to Italy after being forced to leave the national team’s training camp. On Saturday, the team declared that they would not be naming a replacement.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="445" height="508" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231119_WST_471399_image-10.webp&amp;width=445&amp;height=508" alt="" class="wp-image-471423" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/image-10.png 445w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/image-10-263x300.png 263w" sizes="(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px"></figure><figcaption>Weston Mckennie has left the USMNT training camp</figcaption></figure>



<h2>How long will Weston McKennie be out?</h2>



<p>“USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie has departed camp to recover from an aggravated left knee tendinopathy. No replacement will be added to the roster as the United States travelled to face Trinidad &amp; Tobago in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal on Saturday”, <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/11/weston-mckennie-departs-usmnt-camp-to-recover-from-left-knee-tendinopothy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a statement from the US Men’s National Team read</a>.</p>



<p>The news of his injury will cause anxiety for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/juventus-tv-schedule/">Juventus</a> as they get ready to play Inter Milan next weekend. He reportedly has tendinitis in his left knee. There has apparently been a recurrence of an old injury. However, the reason for McKennie’s absence from the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/usmnt-tv-schedule/">USMNT</a> team is reportedly precautionary, according to <a href="https://football-italia.net/mckennie-departs-usmnt-squad-for-precautionary-reasons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Football Italia</a>.</p>



<p>The matter is deemed not highly concerning, leading to his return home as a precautionary step. The report adds that the American star has a chance to play in next week’s Derby D’Italia against the Serie A top side.</p>



<h2>How will Juventus and USMNT change without McKennie?</h2>



<p>Max Allegri, manager of Juventus, will be keeping his fingers crossed in the event of an injury to another midfielder. Allegri’s depth at that position is already thin. While Manuel Locatelli’s status is unclear, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/juventus-eye-double-swoop-to-fill-gaps-left-by-pogba-and-fagioli-20231111-WST-469393.html">Nicolo Fagioli</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/pogba-faces-four-year-ban-after-failing-second-drug-test-20231006-WST-460799.html">Paul Pogba</a> have been banned.</p>



<p>After a short loan at Leeds, McKennie has established himself as an integral part of the Bianconeri’s starting lineup. The team has used him in the midfield and in the right wingback position.</p>



<p>Even at this early point of the 2023-24 season, McKennie has received praise. Many predicted that he would leave Italy this coming summer. However, his strong play this season has earned him a spot in Allegri’s first team rotation.</p>



<p>On the other hand, without the former Schalke talent, the United States national team’s midfield has less spark. Coach Gregg Berhalter might try moving Yunus Musah up to make more direct runs, or he could play Lennard Maloney in defensive midfield.</p>



<p>This strategic move, however, increases the burden on wingers, with Kevin Paredes and Malik Tillman under heat for their recent play. They face a tough battle in Port of Spain, but they have a three-goal lead that should be enough to get them through.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</p>


Another star joins Pulisic and Weah as USMNT squad absentees

With his withdrawal from national team participation, another USMNT star joins Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah on the sidelines.

Another star joins Pulisic and Weah as USMNT squad absentees - World Soccer Talk


<p>The semifinal and final of the 2023 <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/concacaf-nations-league-schedule/">CONCACAF Nations League</a> is headed to Las Vegas. On Monday, CONCACAF, the governing body for North American soccer, announced Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium will host the three-game mini-tournament. </p>



<p>Las Vegas is not new to hosting meaningful and major matches. Last summer, Allegiant Stadium saw <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWewjcIfMYQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Real Madrid battle Barcelona</a> in the second edition of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/06/10/barca-to-play-real-madrid-in-pre-season-clasico-in-las-vegas/">El Clasico</a> in the United States. The summer before that saw the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/usmnt-tv-schedule/">USMNT</a> in action. The United States defeated Mexico in the Gold Cup Final in extra time at Allegiant Stadium to win its second trophy of the summer. Interestingly, the first of those two trophies was the CONCACAF Nations League Finals in 2021. However, Denver hosted that three-game competition among four teams.</p>



<p>This year, it is Las Vegas’s turn to host. The four competing teams come from the winners of each of the groups in the CONCACAF Nations League A. After that phase wraps up, the highest-finishing team from the effective group stage plays the lowest-finishing group winner based on points total in the semifinals of the Nations League. Both of the semifinals for the CONCACAF Nations League are on Thursday, June 15. The Final is just a few days later on Sunday, June 18. If it is anything as dramatic as the Final in 2021, it will be worth it to watch.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="USA vs. Mexico: Extended Highlights | Concacaf Nations League Final | CBS Sports Golazo" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wig95n7_lks?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>Tickets for the Nations League Finals in Las Vegas go on sale before the first phase of the competition concludes. Sale opens Monday, March 27, at 1 p.m. ET. However, the United States, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica all have two games to play in the three-team round robin. Some of them play later that day, or even on Tuesday, March 28.</p>



<h2>Las Vegas hosting the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals</h2>



<p>As part of Monday’s announcement on the venue, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is excited to get more important games in Las Vegas.</p>



<p>“The City of Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium will be tremendous hosts of the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League Finals,” Montagliani said. “We all enjoyed an outstanding Gold Cup Final at the same venue in 2021, and I have no doubt the quality of the teams combined with the world-class facility will draw fans from across our region.”</p>



<p>To be fair, Allegiant Stadium is a state-of-the-art location. Opening in the summer of 2020, the stadium cost an estimated $2 billion. The home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, Allegiant Stadium will add another soccer game to its already impressive list of hosting achievements. </p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


CONCACAF announced that Las Vegas is hosting the 2023 Nations League Finals after it hosted the Gold Cup Final in 2021.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Nations League 2023"

Christian Pulisic

Another star joins Pulisic and Weah as USMNT squad absentees

CONCACAF

Las Vegas to host 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals