GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including Weah in Le Classique after historic UCL goal
It was an largely an ugly opening week of the Champions League for members of the U.S. men's national team.
Johnny Cardoso was ruled of Atletico Madrid's opener with an injury, and then PSV – with U.S. internationals Ricardo Pepi and Sergino Dest – were stunned by Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Overall, none of the nine USMNT players in Champions League recorded a win.
The lone bright spot came from Tim Weah, who scored a well-taken goal against Real Madrid in a 2-1 loss for Marseille. It was an important moment for the 25-year-old, who had failed to impress in his opening four matches with L'OM. It also made Weah the first American player to score at the Bernabeu.
And the timing is also ideal. For fans of the Southern France club, there is no bigger match than , a decades-long feud with the capital club, Paris Saint-Germain. There were positive signs for Marseille against Madrid as they prepare for PSG.
But that's not the only big contest for Americans abroad this weekend. After a limited appearance against Bologna, Christian Pulisic will be look to get back to full action when AC Milan travel to Udinese. Yunus Musah made his first start for Atalanta in a one-sided loss to PSG. Is it more of the same for a midfielder who struggled with previously?
And on Sunday, Gio Reyna and Borussia Monchengladbach will take on Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen in a showdown of two USMNT midfielders heading in opposite directions.
GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad this weekend.
AFPWeah gaining form at right time
In the opening four games of Marseille's season, Weah couldn't find a fit in Roberto De Zerbi's starting XI. Shuttled between left wing, left, and right wing-back, the American struggled for consistency and was largely ineffective – outside of his involvement in L'OM's rout of Paris FC. Then came the night in Spain's capital at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid might have won the game, but Weah was arguably the Man of the Match as his deft finish gave the Ligue 1 club a surprising 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. The former Juventus winger stressed how important the moment was for him.
"It’s a pleasure. It’s a dream come true. As a kid, you dream of moments like that," he said. "There’s no better club to do it with, and I’m so happy to be at Marseille, and I’m so happy to give the fans something to cheer about."
Weah has a chance to continue those positive vibes back at the Stade Vélodrome when OM host Paris Saint-Germain Sunday. If the oddsmakers are to be believed, the home side have no shot. Marseille haven't beaten PSG in Ligue 1 since 2020 and haven't gotten a result against the team since 2021 – a 0-0 draw.
Still, with PSG dealing with several key injuries, including to Joao Neves, Ousmane Dembele, and Desire Doue, there's a chance De Zerbi's side could make some noise.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportA star at Milan?
Rafael Leao and Pulisic are largely seen as AC Milan's dynamic duo, as the club's success has come when they're at their best. have tried to boost their attacking ranks to mixed results, with hot-and-cold Mexico international Santi Gimenez the latest example.
Yet, Max Allegri's side might have finally found a solution in the recent arrival of Christopher Nkunku. Much was expected from the France international when he joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2023, but an injury in his first preseason stalled his momentum. By the time he came back, Cole Palmer was thriving in Nkunku's preferred No. 10 role.
Having joined Milan on the transfer deadline, Nkunku looks to regain form in a World Cup year. And he showed some glimpses in his debut against Bologna last weekend. But how does it all fit together?
Leao is out with an injury, while neither Nkunku nor Pulisic started in Milan's win against Bologna. Allegri continues to tinker with formations since his return to Milan, going back and forth between a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-2-1 last weekend. Both formations offer opportunities to build possession through central play, but rely on wingbacks, not necessarily wingers, to provide width.
That might play to Nkunku's strengths as a No. 10, but not necessarily Pulisic's or Leao's as they both prefer to play out wide. Against Udinese on Saturday, it will be interesting to see if Allegri starts Nkunku and Pulisic together, and what formation he ends up using.
There's plenty at stake, too, as Udinese and Milan sit fourth and fifth in the Serie A table, respectively.
AFPMusah needs to make an impression
Musah got his first start for Atalanta, but it wasn't under the best of circumstances, as the club traveled to PSG and lost 4-0 loss. The American, like many of his teammates, struggled mightily against the European Champions and was pulled after 74 minutes.
While it's too soon to make a hasty assessment of Musah's fit with , the reality is that the clock's ticking for the 22-year-old. Managers aren't typically patient with new signings, especially Champions League clubs. Musah has a limited window in which he can make an impression and carve out a role.
There was a reason why Atalanta's manager Ivan Juric was so invested in bringing him in. Considering Musah's deal is a loan with a buy option attached, the midfielder will need to show why sooner rather than later.
The good news is that Torino should be easier to navigate than PSG. Torino are 10th in the Serie A table, while Atalanta are seventh. And Musah has some history against the other team in Turin. Early last season, Musah came on as a late substitute for Milan at San Siro against and dropped an extra time dime to Noah Okafor to steal a 2-2 draw.
Getty Images SportTitle clash already for PSV?
isn't the only big rivalry match this weekend. , the derby between PSV and Ajax, also takes place on Sunday. And this is a huge tie for both clubs. PSV are the defending champions and have won the past two league titles under the leadership of former USMNT star Earnie Stewart, the club's sporting director.
Ajax have been the standard bearer of the Netherlands for decades. Follow the Dutch national team and odds are you're probably watching several Ajax alums on the pitch at the same time. And two years without a title for Ajax is a long time. It might be early in the season, but this match could very well set the tone for either club's season.
Which brings us back to PSV. They're just three points off the summit in the Dutch top flight, and they are tied for the most goals scored at 17 – and that's largely without their star striker in Pepi, who has just worked his way back into the starting XI after an injury.
But this team has shown some fragility over the past few weeks. They lost to Telstar (who?) and got a huge wakeup call against Union SG in Europe this week. Defense, where USMNT star Dest plays, appears to be a problem for manager Peter Bosz. They've shipped eight goals in five games, which is middle of the table in the Dutch League.
Ajax, by comparison, have allowed just four in that same span. Considering there are only two Champions League spots in the Eredivisie, and Feyenoord is also in the mix for the title, PSV can't afford a second-straight setback.
