There is only one place to start with our weekly look at the fortunes of the U.S. men’s national team players — San Siro and a top-of-the-table meeting between AC Milan and Juventus.
But American attention wasn’t just on Serie A. Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland also saw members of Gregg Berhalter’s squad in action on a busy weekend.
With next year’s home Copa America and the 2026 World Cup in mind, we’re keeping tabs on how they perform each week on our player tracker.
Issue of the weekend
Sunday night’s game between Milan and Juventus at San Siro was always going to be a big one as the hosts hoped to go top in Serie A and their rivals looked to claw back ground just behind them.
Milan vs Juventus is a game that transfixes Italy but the presence of four USMNT players going gave it a unique twist — and served further proof that the influence of American players in some of Europe’s big leagues is only growing.
Milan opted to start with USMNT captain Christian Pulisic and midfielder Yunus Musah in their engine room, while Juventus had Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie in midfield.
Juve’s 1-0 win ensured Weah and McKennie were the ones left smiling but for Pulisic, it was a doubly frustrating evening. He was sacrificed before half time by coach Stefano Pioli after team-mate Malick Thiaw was sent off for a foul that denied Moise Kean a clear goalscoring opportunity.
“I removed an attacker to maintain the same defensive structure that we had prepared during the week,” Pioli told DAZN afterwards. “I decided to make Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud work against the three Juve defenders and maintain the defensive setup we had, as there were some good reference points against them.
“We believed that the contribution of the midfielders like Musah and Tijjani Reijnders, or Giroud holding up the ball for Leao, could allow us to continue being dangerous in attack.”
Yunus Musah takes on Adrien Rabiot (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Pulisic looked understandably unhappy at making way, although he kept whatever frustration he was feeling bottled up afterwards, restricting himself to saying the result was a “tough one” on his Instagram feed.
As for the Americans of Juve, there were more positives to reflect on. Weah put in an eye-catching and influential shift (none of his team-mates eclipsed his six ball recoveries) and he created the game’s crucial moment: his 63rd-minute pass supplied Manuel Locatelli, whose deflected shot sealed victory. McKennie also had the highest passing accuracy (90 per cent) of any of his midfield colleagues.
The former Leeds United midfielder completed the full game, too, which will have pleased his father John, who vented his frustration on Twitter a few weeks ago when McKennie was subbed off during a game and replaced by Weah.
Great night at the office for all in white and black then? Well, almost. Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri got so wound up towards the end of the tense match that, incensed his players were not keeping the ball better, he tore off his jacket and tie in frustration and was even yellow-carded for rushing out of his technical area to shout orders.
A big three points presumably added more than enough consolation after he cooled down.
Allegri loses his cool (Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images)
Player of the weekend
Giovanni Reyna’s two goals lit up the USMNT’s impressive win over Ghana during the international break, with the 20-year-old stepping up his return to the fold under Berhalter following their high-profile falling-out and subsequent reconciliation.
The challenge for the midfielder now is to prove he can be consistently available and influential for his club, Borussia Dortmund, too.
A lot will depend on whether the pattern of injuries that have dogged Reyna’s young career can abate, but there were encouraging signs on Friday.
He did not make the starting line-up but there was much to admire about his half-hour cameo after replacing Marius Wolf.
Reyna, left, continued his good form (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
He created two chances, completed 96 per cent of his passes, drew four fouls and was involved in the game’s only goal that secured Dortmund’s win, linking up with Emre Can who then played in Julian Brandt for the German to calmly convert.
Graphic of the weekend
Saturday saw Auston Trusty make his second career Premier League start for Sheffield United after previously going the distance on October 7 against Fulham. Both matches ended in defeat, as most have for Sheffield United at this stage of the season. However, the former Philadelphia Union homegrown is continuing his emergence since leaving MLS last summer.
After making his first start on his strong-footed left side of the back line, against United, he was shifted across to right center back in a 4-4-2. The unfamiliar vantage point may have played a part in Scott McTominay’s opener, as Trusty was caught in two minds between helping mark Rasmus Hojlund and converging to close the Scottish midfielder’s shooting angle. Dalot’s match-winner left Trusty with his head hung and his hands planted on his knees in frustration. Still, he finished the day second among Sheffield United players for ‘true’ tackles (five) and was only dribbled past once out of five attempts.
Sheffield United are going through an injury crisis, with Trusty being just one of two senior center backs who aren’t actively stricken by an injury. The latest, Anel Ahmedhodzic, damaged a hamstring before the United match. As the team struggles to build momentum to stave off an extended relegation battle, Trusty should have ample opportunity to feature and, if he avoids the injury bug that’s feasting in the Bramall Lane dressing room, could improve his case for USMNT involvement.
Jeff Reuter
Quote of the weekend
With four of his players involved in Milan on Sunday, Berhalter was an interested spectator and spoke beforehand about the quartet’s time in Italy.
Naturally, the questioning started about Pulisic and whether he was enjoying life at the San Siro but Berhalter wanted to sing the praises of all four.
“Very much so,” he said when asked about Pulisic. “But Musah and McKennie also told me that they’re happy in Italy. Christian is unquestionable in terms of talent, as well as his character and tactical ability. At Milan and with Pioli, he has found the confidence to get to the top.
“He defends, attacks, dribbles. He is a top player and I’m sure he will become even more complete in Italy. Tim Weah is everybody’s friend. McKennie is the funniest. And then there’s Musah, the bright light, everyone feels his warmth.
“Musah is a very strong character and he never leaves you alone. He is a complete, dynamic and versatile midfielder. Weston will make the most of his opportunity, he seems very determined. He can help the team in lots of different ways.”
How did other U.S. players get on?
Name: Malik Tillman
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Midfield
League appearances: Five
He’s already been dropped from the squad for arriving late for a pre-game team meeting this season. Now in his most recent outing for PSV, Tillman cost his side a goal by conceding a daft penalty.
Fortunately for the attacking midfielder, his team still won 3-1 to maintain their unbeaten start to the Eredivisie campaign. Tillman had an otherwise quiet game but has the chance to atone this week when PSV face Lens in the Champions League.
Name: Cameron Carter-Vickers
Club: Celtic
Position: Defence
League appearances: Four
Celtic remained comfortably top of the Scottish Premier League after their win over Hearts on Sunday and Cameron Carter-Vickers played a big part in it.
His 13 successful duels, the highest of any other player in the game, caught the eye as the 25-year-old nears his best after a hamstring injury caused him to miss five games earlier in the season.
Name: John Brooks
Club: Hoffenheim
Position: Defence
League appearances: Eight
Brooks has been in fine form for Hoffenheim this season but had a rare off day during his team’s 3-1 defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Withdrawn at half-time, the 30-year-old had struggled to cope with forward Omar Marmoush and was dribbled past three times, while winning just two of his six duels.
What’s coming up?
Keep an eye on the Champions League where Tillman, Ricardo Pepi and Sergino Dest could all figure for high-flying PSV against Lens (Tuesday 2pm EST, Paramount+). That day, Reyna will hope to feature for Dortmund in the same competition against Newcastle United (also 2pm, EST Paramount+).
Then Pulisic and Yunus Musah will also be in Champions League action away to Paris Saint-Germain in Paris on Wednesday (2pm, EST Paramount+).