Juventus’s initial prognosis for Weston McKennie may have been incorrect—in a good way.
A month after manager Massimiliano Allegri announced that that the U.S. men’s national team midfielder would miss the rest of the season with a foot fracture, the Juventus coach is walking it back. On Friday, Allegri said that McKennie could return at the beginning of next month for the season run-in in Serie A.
“Right now, he is just walking. Hopefully, he can return at the beginning of May and be available for the last four or five matches,” Allegri said.
That’s an unexpectedly positive outlook for the U.S. star, who missed the last window of World Cup qualifying after suffering the foot injury while playing in the Champions League knockout stage vs. Villarreal. Juventus’s title push may be a long shot, but for McKennie, it would put him back in frame to be ready for the U.S.’s World Cup preparation camp in June, which includes two friendlies and two group matches in the Concacaf Nations League.
McKennie was in top form at the time of his injury, which made it all the more devastating for his club and country. The U.S. finished off World Cup qualification without him, while Juventus has gone 5-2-0 in all competitions since his injury but tumbled out of the Champions League in the second leg of the last 16 to Villarreal.
There could be a cup final in McKennie’s future, should he return at the beginning of May. Juventus leads Fiorentina 1–0 after the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals, and if it can protect that lead, then a May 10 final against either AC Milan or Inter Milan would be in the offing.
The U.S., meanwhile, will gather for its camp in the first two weeks of June, the penultimate international window before the November start to the World Cup in Qatar.
