With Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic playing in big games, and others hoping to establish themselves again, it should be a captivating week

Welcome back from the international break. Did you miss club soccer? There are certainly reasons to do so – but after a genuinely excellent 10 days for the international game, you'd be forgiven for feeling a little lukewarm about what comes next.

From an American point of view, though, there’s plenty to keep an eye on. Two of the USMNT’s biggest names stayed home as the U.S. won back-to-back friendlies. One was AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, who wasn’t risked after picking up an injury in October – an unsurprising call for a player, especially with the Milan derby ahead. 

The other absence was far more surprising. Juventus' Weston McKennie missed out despite no injury, no reported fallout, and no indication of any issues within the camp. When he’s with the U.S., he's usually just fine. But apparently, that wasn’t enough this time. Either way, both stars return to big Serie A fixtures this weekend.

And then there's Gio Reyna, who suddenly channeled prime Kaka for the U.S. 10 days ago. If only that version showed up more often for his club, Gladbach.

GOAL breaks down the four main storylines to watch among Americans Abroad this weekend…

GettyMore minutes for Gio?

The international break proved one thing definitively:  Reyna can still play a bit. It's something we perhaps all knew deep down. Class doesn't just go away, and this 23-year-old remains an immense talent – no matter how much he has struggled at the club level for the last few years. And Reyna showed that there's still a player there, running the show in a 2-1 win over Paraguay, before grabbing an assist as a second-half sub in a 5-1 hammering of Uruguay. 

The question is, then: were you watching, Monchengladbach? They have struggled immensely to start the season, and a tad unfairly sacked Gerardo Seoane after going winless in their first three. Under-23s manager Eugen Polanski was named interim shortly after, and has now been handed the reins on a full-time basis, with a contract in place until the end of the 2027-28 season – which is a lot of trust to put in someone who is yet to have a senior managerial position. 

But, to his credit, the 39-year-old has steadied the ship a little. Monchengladbach are 12th and climbing. They play relegation strugglers Heidenheim, Mainz, and Wolfsburg in the next month. This would seem to be high time for Reyna to perform. Heidenheim, Saturday morning, is a fine starting point. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesChristian Pulisic, on the big stage

We are told that Pulisic is a "big game player" – whatever that means. OK, there is something to that sentiment. The American does tend to show up when the stakes are at their highest, when something is truly on the line. He is, historically, not one to go quiet when his side needs him. And, for the first time this season, he has a chance to show off his big game chops. 

The Milan derby has been a fine hunting ground for Pulisic of late, with the American scoring in two of the last three – and turning in a dominant performance in the other. This is his forum against the team that his club hates more than any other. Pulisic should come into the game well rested, too. He missed out on the most recent USMNT camp, still nursing a bit of a knock picked up in October. He's had two weeks, then, to get fit, prepare, and prime himself to turn in the kind of performance that he can hang his hat on. 

These fixtures always tend to mean something, and this iteration of the Milan derby is no different. Inter are in first. Milan are two points behind them in third. "Early title decider" this isn't, but the three points here could be crucial come May.  

Getty ImagesMcKennie fights to get Juve on track

So what’s going on with McKennie, then? Every year, we hear the same cycle: transfer-listed, written off, then suddenly indispensable again. And this season feels no different. The American hasn’t exactly lit up Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus, but he remains a key piece and played every minute against Torino before the international break.

The numbers, though, aren’t especially inspiring. And he isn’t getting much love from Mauricio Pochettino, either. So what gives? Is McKennie just the kind of player who eats up minutes, does a solid job, and goes home? If that’s the case, it feels like a waste of talent – and it certainly isn’t enough to sway the U.S. manager with a World Cup less than a year away.

Some factors are out of his control, of course. But McKennie could use a sharp reset, and that starts with Fiorentina this weekend. Juventus sit sixth and badly need a win to get their season back on track. What role McKennie plays remains to be seen, but if history is any indication, he’ll be involved – one way or another.

Getty Images SportJosh Sargent struggles for form

A few months ago, Josh Sargent looked like he had a real shot at becoming the USMNT’s long-term No. 9. A month into the Championship season, he was top of the scoring charts. And with Folarin Balogun injured, it felt like the door had finally swung wide open for him.

Since then, though, things have unraveled. The goals have dried up. Norwich have lost four of their last five. And Sargent? He hasn’t scored since August. He’s still the focal point up front for , and his overall play has picked up a bit recently, but the results haven’t. With Norwich winless for months, he’ll be under pressure to rediscover his finishing touch against a surging Birmingham City on Saturday morning.