Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie was notably absent from the United States’ 2-0 friendly victory over Panama, raising questions about his fitness ahead of Juventus’ upcoming Serie A match against Lazio.
USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino, making his official debut, addressed McKennie’s absence in the post-match press conference. “We’ll protect him,” Pochettino stated. “He arrived with some issues – not major ones, but uncomfortable situations. If we believe he’s 100 percent without risks, he could start against Mexico, but we don’t want to take any chances.”
The Texan midfielder’s condition is now under close scrutiny, with just six days remaining before Juventus faces Lazio at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on October 19th. McKennie has been playing with a shoulder brace for some time, though it hasn’t previously prevented him from taking the field.
Currently, there doesn’t seem to be significant concern within the Juventus camp. However, the club is waiting to see if McKennie will miss the Mexico match or return to action as normal.
Adding to Juventus’ potential midfield concerns, Teun Koopmeiners is also likely to be unavailable for the Lazio match due to rib problems. This situation could force manager Thiago Motta to reconsider his midfield options for the crucial Serie A fixture.
