Weston McKennie returns from injury, assists in Juventus’ Europa League match

Weston McKennie picked up right where he left off. The 28-year-old American midfielder returned to the Juventus starting lineup after missing three matches with a muscle injury and immediately made his presence felt, recording an assist in a dominant Europa League victory over NEC Nijmegen on September 17. McKennie set up Kerim Alajbegovic’s goal in the 24th minute before being substituted around the 60-minute mark, replaced by Teun Koopmeiners. Juventus went on to secure a comfortable win at the Allianz Stadium in Turin to kick off their Europa League campaign. A squad stretched thin McKennie’s return wasn’t just a nice storyline. It was a logistical necessity. Juventus entered the match without nine players due to injury. Coach Luciano Spalletti had signaled McKennie’s availability earlier in the week after the midfielder completed full training sessions. Why McKennie matters to this Juventus project McKennie signed a contract extension earlier this year worth roughly €4 million per season, locking him in at the club until June 30, 2030. It’s worth remembering that McKennie’s path at Juventus hasn’t always been smooth. He arrived initially on loan from Schalke before the move was...