Category: Americans Abroad

Pulisic credits Leao for standout goalscoring season at AC Milan

The USMNT star says his teammate requires plenty of attention from opposing defenses

Christian Pulisic believes his career-best goalscoring season at AC Milan would not have been possible if not for Rafael Leão’s presence.

With one game remaining, Pulisic has scored 15 goals in all competitions, 12 of which have come in league play. Both totals are career highs.

Pulisic has become a fixture on the right flank of Milan’s attacking setup, with Portugal star Leão usually lining up opposite Pulisic on the left side.

The U.S. men’s national team star has said that the attention Leão attracts from opposing defenses has led to numerous openings for him over the course of the season.

“The truth is that I’ve become accustomed to playing on the right, and I’ve been scoring goals thanks to a little secret: it’s called Rafael Leão,” Pulisic said in an interview with Il Giornale, transcribed by Sempre Milan.

“I’ve studied and understood how he moves. Usually, he attracts two or three opponents, so the defense is not so covered on the opposite side. Therefore, I can move towards the middle of the box and I am sure I will receive a perfectly timed pass.”

Leão has come in for criticism at times this season, as the 24-year-old has mixed in outstanding performances with matches that aren’t up to his high standards.

After scoring 15 times in Serie A last season, the Portugal international has only eight goals this time around.

Pulisic has defended his teammate, saying that he can sometimes be a victim of the high expectations he has created for himself.

Asked about fan criticism of Leão, the USMNT star replied: “Because they remember his best days and expect him to always be at his best, every week, scoring 50 goals a season! He and I often talk about this, and I can assure you that Rafa is the first to know and to strive to give more to Milan and his career.”

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Brenden Aaronson won’t return to Union Berlin after loan ends

The 23-year-old will return to Leeds facing an uncertain future

Brenden Aaronson’s time with Union Berlin has come to an end.

The German side announced on Monday that Aaronson is returning to Leeds, following the conclusion of his season-long loan.

Aaronson’s final appearance for Union Berlin came on Saturday, as he notched a vital assist in a 2-1 win over Freiburg that confirmed the club’s Bundesliga status on the season’s final day.

The U.S. national team attacker had a difficult spell with Die Eisernen, particularly in the first half of the season when he didn’t record a single goal contribution.

Aaronson was improved in the back end of the campaign, starting more frequently down the stretch and ending the season with two goals and two assists.

In a club statement, Union Berlin said Aaronson won “the hearts of Union fans with his dashing style of play, his speed and, not to forget, his decisive goal against Hoffenheim.

“After 38 appearances, two goals and two assists, his time in Berlin has come to an end and he is returning to England.”

The 23-year-old said last month that he would be open to a permanent move to Union Berlin, but that was always going to be a difficult financial commitment for the German club to make.

Aaronson returns to Leeds facing an uncertain future. The club is in the Championship playoff final this weekend but regardless of the outcome, the USMNT attacker may not be in the team’s plans.

Football Insider reported last week that Leeds has decided to sell Aaronson in the summer, and will look to recoup £12 million of its initial £25m investment in the New Jersey native.

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Adams left out once again as Bournemouth wraps Premier League season

It’s a downer ending for Adams in what was largely a lost first season with the Cherries

Tyler Adams didn’t get the end to the season he was likely hoping for.

The Bournemouth and U.S. men’s national team midfielder was held out of his side’s final match of the season on Sunday.

Following the Cherries’ 2-1 loss at Chelsea, manager Andoni Iraola told reporters that Adams did not play for precautionary reasons.

Adams ended a month-long spell on the sidelines with a 10-minute cameo in Bournemouth’s penultimate game of the season on May 11, but was not in uniform as the Cherries concluded the 2023-24 campaign.

The news is one more bit of frustration for Adams in what was essentially a lost season. Between recovery from a hamstring injury sustained 14 months ago with Leeds, a second surgical procedure on that issue, and back spasms, the USMNT midfielder played just 138 minutes for Bournemouth this season.

2023-24 largely a lost season for Adams

Adams was only in uniform six times, and his minutes came from just four appearances spread across the season. His comeback from his initial injury came in September, but after just one 20-minute appearance the 25-year-old suffered a setback, eventually undergoing surgery again.

The New York native would miss 21 more matches recovering from that procedure before being an unused substitute in Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw with Sheffield United on March 9. Adams finally made his Premier League debut for the Cherries four days later in a win over Luton Town, and had a standout showing in his one and only start (a 2-1 victory over Everton on March 30).

Between that and his unreal goal for the USMNT in the Concacaf Nations League final, it seemed like Adams was finally, truly back.

However, after being an unused substitute against Crystal Palace in early April, Adams ended up with back spasms that proved persistent. Iraola ended up having to leave Adams out of seven of the Cherries’ final eight matches of the season as a result.

With the Copa América looming, the USMNT will be hoping that Adams — who is paramount for Gregg Berhalter — will benefit from Bournemouth’s caution. The U.S. will play friendlies against Colombia and Brazil early next month as part of its preparations for its biggest test since the 2022 World Cup.

However, it’s far from ideal that the best scenario for Adams this summer is having to play games of enormous importance after losing nearly an entire season in this manner.

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USWNT star Macario comes off with injury for Chelsea

This could be a major headache for the USWNT

Chelsea forward Catarina Macario was forced off with an injury in the season’s final match at Manchester United.

Macario went down in the first half as she appeared to be favoring a thigh issue that had been taped up.

The U.S. women’s national team star attempted to play through the issue but after a few minutes, she was forced off in a 41st-minute substitution.

Macario’s injury could be a major worry for the USWNT depending on the severity, with the Olympics kicking off in two months.

The 24-year-old only returned in March from a torn ACL that kept her sidelined for the better part of two years.

Chelsea would win the match 6-0, sealing a fifth straight WSL title in Emma Hayes’ final game before she takes over as USWNT head coach. In a potentially positive sign, Macario could be seen joining in the celebrations at the full-time whistle.

The injury could jeopardize Macario’s availability for Hayes’ first USWNT camp, with the team facing two matches against South Korea on June 1 and June 4.

Following those matches, the USWNT will gather its Olympic roster together for send-off games against Mexico on July 13 and Costa Rica on July 16.

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Weah pays tribute to Allegri following Juventus manager’s dismissal

Weah says Allegri’s departure marks a “sad day in Turin”

Tim Weah clearly didn’t want to see Max Allegri make his Juventus exit.

The U.S. men’s national team regular saluted his former manager on Friday, hours after Juve confirmed that Allegri had been sacked over a series of fiery arguments during and after the club’s Coppa Italia victory.

“[Sad] day in Turin!” began Weah’s Instagram story, with text over a photo of Allegri.

“Dear Mister Allegri, As you step away from Juventus, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the dedication and passion you brought to our club,” continued Weah, referring to his former coach with the affectionate Italian slang for a manager.

“Thank you for believing in me and thank you for changing my life. I will forever be in debt!!!!”

Weah joined Juventus last summer in a $13 million transfer from Lille, and was in and out of Allegri’s starting 11. Despite playing as a right winger for the USMNT and at Lille, Weah was more or less exclusively deployed as a right wingback in Allegri’s 3-5-2 formation.

The 24-year-old appeared in 33 of a possible 41 matches, missing six games through injury or suspension. However, Weah ended up starting just 12 times, with Allegri toggling between him, Andrea Cambiaso, and Weston McKennie.

Still, Weah’s statement points to the USMNT attacker feeling that his time under Allegri was clearly beneficial.

Weah’s status, like that of most players at Juve, is up in the air going into the offseason. Rumors this winter hinted at a possible departure, and a new coach will present a major variable in Turin.

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Max Allegri sacked as Juventus head coach

Allegri’s second spell in charge of the team ends after three seasons

Massimiliano Allegri has been sacked as Juventus head coach, the club has confirmed.

Allegri’s second spell in charge of the Bianconeri ends just days after the coach led his side to a Coppa Italia title with a win over Atalanta in the final.

But Juventus has disappointed in Serie A this season, currently sitting fourth in the table.

In a statement, however, Juventus indicated that Allegri’s sacking was at least partially down to his behavior during the Coppa Italia final.

Allegri lost his cool late in the match in Rome, throwing off his blazer and tie in a fit of rage as he was shown a red card. After the final whistle, the coach got into arguments with Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli and Guido Vaciago of Italian newspaper Tuttosport.

The club said Allegri’s sacking “follows certain behaviors during and after the Coppa Italia final that the club deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus and the behavior that those who represent it should have.”

In the aftermath of the final, Allegri was banned for two games in the Coppa Italia.

Allegri’s second spell in charge of Juve didn’t feature nearly the same highs as his first. The coach led Juventus to 11 trophies between 2014 and 2019, including five consecutive Serie A titles.

After returning in 2021, however, Allegri won just one trophy in three seasons: the 2023-24 Coppa Italia, clinched just two days before he was sacked.

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USMNT forward Sargent in doubt for Copa America as ankle injury returns

The forward has been dealing with ankle issues for most of the season

Josh Sargent’s troublesome ankle injury could keep the U.S. men’s national team striker out of the Copa América.

Sargent was withdrawn at halftime on Thursday, as Norwich City fell 4-0 to Leeds in the second leg of a Championship playoff semifinal.

The striker was also forced off late in the first leg as he continues to battle a lingering injury from earlier in the season.

Sargent broke his ankle early in the season and was forced to miss four months after surgery. The 24-year-old managed to put together a prolific campaign after returning, scoring 16 goals, but periodically battled recurring ankle soreness.

Following Thursday’s game, Norwich head coach David Wagner admitted that the striker was a doubt for the USMNT this summer.

“We have managed him more or less the whole time since he got back from his injury. I think everyone knows this. It is great credit to Josh with what he has done and how hard he has worked,” Wagner said.

“What this means now for the summer? At the minute I have no idea. There is going to be for sure some thorough investigations and assessment of him, to see how serious it is and what he has to do to come back to his best in pre-season.”

Sargent was called in for the Nations League finals in March, but was forced to withdraw from the U.S. roster due to his ankle injury.

The USMNT will kick off the Copa América on June 23 against Bolivia.

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Pulisic wins Gentleman Award for fair play during AC Milan debut season

The USMNT star has picked up another honor amid a standout debut campaign in Milan

Christian Pulisic has won the Gentleman Award for AC Milan, recognizing his professionalism on and off the field during his debut season for the club.

Pulisic was awarded the prize at the Premio Gentleman ceremony on Thursday night, earning another honor amid a career-best season.

The 25-year-old has been one of Milan’s best players in 2023-24, tallying 15 goals and nine assists in all competitions.

The Premio Gentleman awards were first handed out in 1996 as a prize for Inter and AC Milan players who demonstrated fair play on the pitch, and professionalism off of it.

Since then, the awards have been expanded to include more categories and teams in Serie A.

After he was handed the prize on stage at the ceremony in Milan, the U.S. men’s national team star spoke about his stellar debut season.

“It was fantastic, I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play for Milan,” he said. “I love the city, the team, it was a fantastic first year for me.”

Pulisic was also asked about becoming the first AC Milan midfielder since Kaká in 2005-06 to score more than 10 non-penalty goals in a season.

“I’ve seen the statistics. It’s nice to be associated with a player like that, a legend of the club. I really have to thank everyone if I’m part of that,” Pulisic said.

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It sure sounds like former USMNT prospect Owen Otasowie is done playing

From a onetime top USMNT prospect to out of the game at age 23

Remember Owen Otasowie?

It wasn’t too long ago that Otasowie was seen as a future fixture of the U.S. men’s national team. Now, it seems like he may be done with the game for good at age 23.

The midfielder/defender made his debut for Wolves in 2019 at age 18. In the 2020-21 season, Otasowie made six Premier League appearances for Wolves while making the matchday squad on 23 occasions.

Otasowie’s exploits in the English top flight led to his first senior U.S. national team call-up and cap in November 2020.

But things started going downhill for Otasowie after a €4 million move to Club Brugge in the summer of 2021. A few months after his arrival in Belgium, there were reports he was struggling to adapt. Otasowie didn’t make a single appearance for the club in the 2021-22 season.

The following season, Otasowie returned to the fold and played a handful of matches early in the campaign. But by November 2022, he had gone completely AWOL and Brugge had reportedly stopped paying him.

His last appearance in any match came for Brugge’s reserves in September 2022.

Since then, Otasowie has been mostly out of the public eye, though he did found the clothing company Carsicko in 2021. As a onetime Burberry model, Otasowie has carried a longstanding interest in fashion.

But will he ever return to the field? Based on a live chat shared by @Eyesandvibes on X, that doesn’t appear likely.

“Eventually I just got to the point where I was like, I don’t even give a f—,” Otasowie said.

“The way they troll you is insane. You better be f—–g Cristiano Ronaldo on all days. If you ain’t Cristiano Ronaldo on all days, prepare to be trolled. S–t touch? They are on your ass for anything.

“I don’t play [soccer],” he added. “I haven’t touched a ball in two years.”

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Report: Claudio Reyna pushed for Gio Reyna’s loan to Nottingham Forest

The former USMNT star lobbied for the loan, which hasn’t worked out for his son

Gio Reyna’s ill-fated loan to Nottingham Forest came about at least partially due to the encouragement of his father Claudio Reyna, according to a report from ESPN.

Reyna left Borussia Dortmund at midseason in search of more playing time, but the U.S. men’s national team midfielder has not succeeded on that front.

Reyna has appeared in 10 games for Forest, starting just twice, and has played only 230 total minutes for the club.

The 21-year-old will return to Dortmund after this weekend’s final round of Premier League matches, having played the same limited role in England that he did in Germany prior to the loan.

That was not the plan back in the winter, as Reyna looked for a temporary switch to boost his minutes and confidence.

According to ESPN, Reyna’s former agency Wasserman was not initially in favor of sending the midfielder to England, but his father pushed for the move to Forest.

Around the time of his loan move, Reyna switched agents from Wasserman to Jorge Mendes, who has a lengthy history of ties with Nottingham Forest.

The report is confirmation that ex-USMNT star Claudio Reyna is still actively involved his son’s career, even after a major scandal that broke last year — though advocating for a loan move is certainly a more conventional method of involvement than what was revealed in an investigation last year.

U.S. Soccer’s independent investigation concluded that Reyna had a “pattern of periodic outreach” to U.S. Soccer officials from 2016 through the end of 2022, which included attempts to influence federation decisions.

Most notably, Claudio Reyna and his wife Danielle leaked information to U.S. Soccer about a domestic violence incident involving USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter in retaliation for Berhalter’s treatment of Gio Reyna during the 2022 World Cup.

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