Weston McKennie returns from injury, assists in Juventus’ Europa League match
The US international played 60 minutes and set up a goal as Juventus cruised past NEC Nijmegen in their Europa League opener
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.
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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 made permanent, and there were stretches where his future in Turin felt uncertain. Transfer rumors swirled. Loan deals were discussed. Yet here he is, freshly extended and starting Europa League matches for one of Italy’s biggest clubs.
The fact that Juventus finds itself in the Europa League at all tells its own story. A sixth-place Serie A finish last season wasn’t exactly what the Old Lady had in mind, and the step down from Champions League football represents both a challenge and an opportunity.
What to watch going forward
The 60-minute limit was clearly a managed workload decision by Spalletti. McKennie had missed three consecutive matches, and pushing him to 90 minutes in a game Juventus were already controlling would have been reckless. Koopmeiners coming on as his replacement suggests Juventus have enough depth in central midfield to rotate smartly, even with the injury crisis affecting other positions.
The NEC Nijmegen result, whether the final score was the 5-0 or 3-0 reported across various outlets, was never really in doubt. McKennie is back, he’s contributing immediately, and Juventus have him locked in until 2030.