Midfielder Preps for the Final La Liga Match and Conference League Final, While Atlético Madrid Show Interest
Johnny Cardoso finds himself at the center of a transfer storm as Real Betis prepare for their final La Liga match against Valencia on Friday. Still, the United States international remains laser-focused on making history with his current club.
Despite being Atlético Madrid's primary midfield target for the summer window, Cardoso has maintained his composure ahead of Betis' crucial Conference League final against Chelsea next Wednesday. "My mentality is here now," the 23-year-old stated during UEFA's Open Media Day, emphasizing his commitment to the present rather than speculation about his future.
Diego Simeone has identified the New Jersey-born midfielder as the ideal solution to Atlético's long-standing need for a defensive midfielder. After failed attempts to sign Atalanta's Éderson and limited success with Arthur Vermeeren, who was loaned to Leipzig after just seven months, Simeone sees Cardoso as the perfect blend of youth and La Liga experience.
The financial dynamics are complex, with Cardoso carrying an €80 million release clause, though sources suggest this figure is negotiable. However, Tottenham Hotspur holds a priority option on the USMNT star, potentially complicating any potential deal with Atlético.
Cardoso's immediate focus remains on Wednesday's Conference League final in Poland, where Betis could claim their first-ever European trophy. The midfielder briefly missed training this week due to a minor knock but quickly reassured fans, stating, "I'm fine, everything is going very well."
With his family, including his parents and girlfriend, traveling to Poland for support, Cardoso dreams of scoring in the final while maintaining his professional focus. Tonight's match against Valencia serves as Betis' final preparation for their European showdown, with the club having secured sixth place and qualification for the Europa League next season. The fixture has been moved to Friday to give Betis extra preparation time, though this decision has frustrated Chelsea's management.
American Contingent in Italy Ready for Final Matches
Serie A concludes its dramatic 2024-25 campaign, and several United States internationals will be center stage in pivotal final-day fixtures that could define their clubs' European ambitions and relegation battles.
AC Milan hosts relegated Monza at San Siro on Saturday, with Americans Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah looking to salvage some pride from a catastrophic season. For the first time since 2015-16, Milan will finish outside European qualification, currently sitting ninth after a late-season collapse that included a Coppa Italia final defeat to Bologna and a crushing loss at Roma.
The Rossoneri face an embarrassing backdrop as their ultras plan to walk out after 15 minutes. Milan risk equaling their lowest home win total in a 21st-century season, needing a victory to avoid matching their dismal eight home victories from 2007-08 and 2020-21.
Pulisic, who requested time off from USMNT Gold Cup duties after a grueling season, will likely feature in manager Sergio Conceição's possible starting lineup alongside Musah in midfield. The Americans will hope to end their disappointing campaign on a positive note against a Monza side that has managed just three wins from 37 matches - one of the worst tallies in Serie A history.
Sunday's marquee fixture sees Venezia host Juventus at Stadio Penzo, featuring a fascinating USMNT subplot as Weston McKennie and Tim Weah face off against Gianluca Busio in a match with enormous stakes.
Juventus need just one point to secure Champions League football, with McKennie expected to start despite limping off with an ankle injury last week. The versatile midfielder has been crucial to Juve's push for fourth place, while Weah will miss the Gold Cup due to Club World Cup commitments with the Bianconeri.
On the opposite side, Busio anchors Venezia's midfield as the Lagunari fight for Serie A survival. Sitting 19th and two points from safety, Venezia must beat Juventus and hope other results go their way to avoid immediate relegation back to Serie B. It would be their first top-flight home victory over Juventus since 1962.
On This Day in 2021, Lille Beat Angers on the Final Day to Dethrone PSG, Making Weah the First American Winner
The spring of 2021 brought a triumphant conclusion to a long road of recovery and redemption for Timothy Weah. As Lille's team bus pulled into the Stade Raymond Kopa on May 23, the 21-year-old American forward could sense history within reach. After a season-long battle against French football powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain—Weah's former club—Lille stood on the precipice of an achievement few had thought possible when the campaign began nine months earlier.
For Weah personally, the 2020-21 season represented a rebirth. After transferring from PSG to Lille for €10 million in June 2019, the promising American had seen his debut season in northern France cruelly derailed by back-to-back hamstring injuries, limiting him to just three appearances. The first setback came against Amiens, sidelining him for six months, before a heartbreaking recurrence during his comeback match against Marseille effectively ended his season. By March 2020, he was in Finland undergoing surgery with specialist Lasse Lempainen, facing an uncertain future.
Yet as the 2020-21 campaign dawned, Weah emerged with renewed determination. His return came during Lille's second match of the season against Reims, a modest 16-minute cameo that signaled the beginning of his true Lille career. Progress came incrementally, with moments of brilliance punctuating his recovery journey. In December, he netted his first Europa League goal for Lille in a bittersweet 3-2 defeat against his former club Celtic. He claimed his maiden Ligue 1 strike days later, securing a 2-0 victory over Dijon on December 16.
Throughout the season, manager Christophe Galtier deployed Weah strategically across the front line—sometimes as a central forward, other times on either wing. Though not always a starter, the son of Liberian legend George Weah embraced his role, providing energetic performances whether given 15 minutes or a full half. His versatility proved invaluable as Lille mounted an increasingly credible title challenge against PSG's star-studded squad.
By spring, what had seemed improbable was becoming possible. A pivotal 1-0 victory at the Parc des Princes on April 3 gave Lille control of their destiny. As veteran defender José Fonte revealed, that triumph silenced doubters "counting us out." The win fostered belief throughout the squad, including among rotation players like Weah, who played 55 minutes in that win over PSG and understood that every small contribution was vital to the collective goal.
As May 23 approached, Lille's lead over PSG had narrowed to a single point. The mathematics were simple: win against Angers and claim the title regardless of PSG's result against Brest. Though Weah watched from the bench that Sunday afternoon, the tension was palpable as his teammates took the field at the Stade Raymond Kopa.
The breakthrough came quickly. Canadian striker Jonathan David, who had formed a lethal partnership with veteran Turkish forward Burak Yılmaz throughout the campaign, latched onto Renato Sanches's precise pass in the 10th minute, slotting the ball home to give Lille an early lead. As half-time approached, Yılmaz, Lille's player of the season, doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after David was fouled by Angers goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni.
Though Angelo Fulgini's injury-time header provided a moment of anxiety, Lille's 2-1 victory was never truly in jeopardy. Celebrations erupted among the players, coaching staff, and the small contingent of traveling supporters when the final whistle blew. Weah, despite not featuring in the match, was at the heart of the festivities, embracing teammates with whom he had forged a special bond during a challenging but ultimately glorious season.
The title represented a seismic achievement in French football. Lille had dethroned PSG with a fraction of the resources—the Qatari-backed Parisians' budget dwarfed Lille's modest finances. With just three defeats across the entire league campaign and a club-record 83 points, Lille had authored one of the most remarkable underdog stories in modern European football.
For Lille, it was their fourth top-flight championship and first since Eden Hazard inspired them to glory a decade earlier in 2011. For Weah, though technically his third Ligue 1 medal after playing minor roles in PSG's 2018 and 2019 triumphs, this one carried incomparably more significance, having made 28 league appearances and scored three crucial goals despite not starting the season finale.
The chemistry within Lille's squad had proven decisive throughout the campaign. As Fonte had noted earlier, the diverse mix of nationalities and backgrounds had become a strength rather than a hindrance. Young talents were guided by experienced heads in a close-knit group that gave itself entirely to Galtier's tactical vision.
"Everybody in the dressing room speaks French," Fonte had explained. "We give ourselves to the other cultures and we give ourselves to them, and they try to know about us. So there's a great chemistry between us."
For Weah, the summer of 2021 promised no respite. Within days of Lille's triumph, he was already preparing to join the United States Men's National Team for their May 30 friendly against Switzerland. The following day, coach Gregg Berhalter named him to the 23-man squad for the CONCACAF Nations League final four in Denver—an inaugural tournament featuring heavyweight clashes against Honduras and potentially Mexico or Costa Rica.
Weah's inclusion in a star-studded American lineup that included Christian Pulisic (fresh from winning the Champions League with Chelsea), Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Sergiño Dest spoke volumes about his standing within a "golden generation" of American talent. Despite his interrupted club season, Berhalter valued Weah's experience, technical ability, and the winning mentality he had cultivated at Lille.
Looking ahead to the 2021-22 campaign, Weah faced new challenges. Champions League football awaited Lille, testing them against Europe's elite clubs. Meanwhile, the August 1 Trophée des Champions clash against PSG offered an immediate opportunity to claim more silverware and further cement Lille's status as France's new football force.
For the American, whose career had already encompassed stints at three of Europe's most storied clubs—PSG, Celtic, and now Lille—the title triumph represented both validation and a launching pad. At just 21, with injury struggles seemingly behind him and a championship medal around his neck, Timothy Weah's journey was far from complete. Still, his place in Lille's unlikely success story was forever secured.
Americans Set for Season Finale in English Top Flight
As the Premier League reaches its dramatic conclusion this Sunday, several United States internationals will take center stage in crucial final-day fixtures that could define their clubs' campaigns, with their summer plans already sorted.
The weekend's marquee matchup sees newly crowned FA Cup champions Crystal Palace travel to Anfield to face Premier League winners Liverpool. Americans Chris Richards and Matt Turner, fresh from their historic Wembley triumph over Manchester City, will look to cap their remarkable season with a strong performance against Arne Slot's title winners.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner described the fixture as "when the league winner meets the FA Cup winner - it's a great ending of the season." However, the Eagles will be without captain Marc Guéhi due to an eye injury sustained during the FA Cup Final, potentially giving Richards increased responsibility in defense.
At the Vitality Stadium, Tyler Adams and AFC Bournemouth host relegated Leicester City in their bid to secure a ninth-place finish, matching their best-ever Premier League position from 2016-17. The Cherries have enjoyed what they describe as another record-breaking season, achieving their highest goal tally and breaking their points record for consecutive seasons.
Adams has been integral to Bournemouth's impressive campaign, which included memorable victories over Arsenal, Southampton, and Manchester City, plus their best-ever away record in Premier League history.
Meanwhile, Antonee Robinson, who will miss out at the Gold Cup this summer, and Fulham face Manchester City in a fixture where the Cottagers will look to end their 19-game winless streak against Pep Guardiola's side, dating back to 2009. Fulham could also finish as high as ninth with a victory on Sunday.
Pochettino Signals Cultural Reset Before the Last Tournament Before the World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino has delivered a clear message to the United States men's national team: no player's World Cup spot is guaranteed. The Argentine coach's 27-player roster for upcoming friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, which serves as preparation for the Gold Cup, conspicuously omits several established stars while opening doors for fresh talent.
Most notably absent is Christian Pulisic, who requested time off after logging over 3,500 minutes in a grueling European season while battling nagging injuries, including a chronic hip flexor problem. Other core players missing include Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reyna, Antonee Robinson, and Yunus Musah due to various factors, including Club World Cup commitments and injury concerns.
Rather than viewing these absences as setbacks, Pochettino frames them as opportunities. "I think it's important to create this challenge," he stated, emphasizing that newcomers must be "desperate to come, to perform" and understand this could be their "last possibility to be with us."
The roster features five uncapped players, including intriguing first-time call-ups like Orlando City defender Alex Freeman (son of NFL legend Antonio Freeman), Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter (son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter), FC Köln forward Damion Downs, and Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan.
Pochettino's philosophy centers on cultivating a winning culture where players arrive at camp entirely focused on national team duties. He has explicitly rejected any complacent attitudes, demanding total commitment from the first day of training camp.
With Major League Soccer providing 16 players—the highest number for a FIFA window since 2023—this roster represents both opportunity and warning. As the 2026 World Cup approaches on home soil, Pochettino is reshaping team culture while challenging every player to earn their place through performance and dedication rather than past accomplishments.
Winger, Not Named to the Gold Cup Roster, Pedestrian in First Leg of Clausura 2025 Final
Alejandro Zendejas endured a frustrating evening in Club América's scoreless draw against Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX final. The 27-year-old winger, who notably missed out on the recent Gold Cup roster selection, struggled to make his mark on the biggest stage of the domestic season.
Zendejas played the full 90 minutes but failed to trouble Toluca's defense meaningfully. His lone shot attempt sailed over the crossbar, reflecting América's overall lack of cutting edge in the final third. The statistical breakdown reveals a player searching for rhythm, completing zero successful dribbles from two attempts and failing to deliver any accurate crosses from two tries. His passing was more reliable at 87% accuracy, but he created no clear chances for teammates.
Just before halftime, Zendejas nearly had a scoring opportunity when Álvaro Fidalgo looked to find him in the box, only for the ball to be intercepted. This encapsulated Zendejas' night – close to involvement but unable to capitalize when it mattered most. For a player seeking to prove his international credentials after missing the Gold Cup squad, this performance offered little evidence of his case. With América trailing in the tie dynamics heading to Toluca's intimidating home venue, Zendejas will need a vastly improved showing in the second leg to help secure América's historic fourth consecutive title.
