Americans Abroad: Pulisic, McKennie face off in Italy

AA Preview Oct. 3

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including some big meetings of USMNT stars

The eyes of Italian soccer will be on a clash between AC Milan and Juventus this weekend. It's one that could effectively decide the race for Champions League spots. Two historic clubs are set to face off in a game with very real consequences, and they'll do so with two Americans who will surely have big parts to play in this massive moment.

Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are set to face off this weekend in one of two huge battles between U.S. Men's National Team stars. There's another one in France, too, as Mark McKenzie becomes the latest defender tasked with stopping a red-hot Folarin Balogun. That game has very real European consequences for Monaco, too, as Balogun looks to drag his side toward continental soccer.

Meanwhile in England, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds aren't battling for a Champions League spot, but they can book a spot in the FA Cup final this weekend. Chris Richards and Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are preparing for a big test of their own against the Premier League's defending champions.

GOAL previews the main storylines among Americans abroad this weekend.

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Pulisic and McKennie face off in tight Serie A race

Pulisic and McKennie are no strangers to sharing the field, largely because they've been doing so since they were kids. This weekend, of course, is different. This weekend, they're opponents.

There's no overstating how important this game is in the Serie A race. Milan enter the weekend sitting second, with the title well out of reach, as Inter sit 12 points ahead with five games remaining. That puts the focus squarely on earning a Champions League spot for next season.

McKennie and Juventus, meanwhile, have the same aim. They're in fourth at the moment, but just three points behind Milan with a far superior goal difference. A win could vault them all the way up to second. A loss, paired with wins from Como or Roma, would put their fourth-place spot under real threat.

Both sides really need the points. Both players, too, need a good performance. Pulisic will be looking to find the back of the net and silence any doubters about his current form. McKennie, on the other hand, is looking to keep that form going as he builds toward the World Cup.

So, make no mistake, this is the game of the weekend for USMNT fans as two of American soccer's top stars collide in a match with real stakes.

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Balogun looks to keep run going against McKenzie

Balogun has been unstoppable over the last few months. He's scored in eight straight league matches. He also has 10 goals over his last 10 games. The team now tasked with ending that streak? Toulouse, which means another USMNT star, McKenzie, will be there to duel with Balogun.

Historically, Toulouse haven't fared well against Monaco, having lost each home match against them since October 2016. They're also in a rough run of form, having lost each of their last four matches while conceding 14 goals. Monaco are seemingly catching them at the perfect time, particularly when you take Balogun's recent streak into account.

There's very real pressure on Monaco to keep it rolling, though. After getting one point from their last two games, they're two points out of a Conference League spot, three points out of a Europa League spot and four points out of a Champions League spot. If the club want to play in Europe next season, they need to rack up points over the final four games of the season.

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Aaronson and Leeds chase trophy chance

When you get this far in the FA Cup, anything can happen. You can use last year's Crystal Palace team as an example of that. Could Aaronson and Leeds follow that example this season?

Their pursuit of that continues this weekend when they face Chelsea at Wembley, hoping to book another date at the big stadium down the line. Leeds have actually performed well against the Blues, winning 3-1 in December before drawing 2-2 at Stamford Bridge in February. Their confidence might also be boosted by the chaos currently being experienced by the team across from them, as Chelsea are less stable than usual at the moment, which is really saying something.

Could Leeds be catching them at the perfect time? They'll hope so because, if they win, a date with either Manchester City or Southampton will be added to their schedule.

Chris Richards Crystal Palace 2025-26

Huge test for Richards, Palace

Crystal Palace have been playing better of late. After their form fell off a cliff to start 2026, the ship has been steadied, with the club currently riding a four-game unbeaten run. Up next, though, is a trip to Anfield, and those are never easy.

Richards and the Crystal Palace defense will surely be tested, although they won't be facing a full-strength Liverpool team. Hugo Ekitike's recent injury has left the Reds without their primary striker, which should make life a little bit easier on Palace's back three. That said, it will still be a challenge, particularly with players like Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah expected to start.

It's another good measuring stick game for Palace and, in particular, for Richards, as he faces some of the Premier League's best as he tries to push his game to that level himself.