McKennie's Big Night

Midfielder Scores Again in the Champions League and Signs a New Deal

Weston McKennie continued his remarkable run of form on Wednesday, scoring a crucial 82nd-minute header to level Juventus' Champions League knockout playoff tie against Galatasaray at 5-5 on aggregate. Though Juventus ultimately fell 7-5 after extra time, with Victor Osimhen and Bariş Alper Yilmaz both scoring in the additional period, McKennie's contribution was a reminder of just how important he has become at the club.

The goal came from a set-piece sequence, with Teun Koopmeiners delivering a cross from a free kick that McKennie met at the back post, heading it into the net. It was his fourth Champions League goal of this season and 11th in his career and came despite Juventus playing with 10 men after Lloyd Kelly's red card just before the hour mark. McKennie has registered seven goals and seven assists across all competitions this season, the best goalscoring campaign of his career.

The timing of the performance is significant beyond the pitch. McKennie, who has been with Juventus since 2021—aside from a brief loan spell at Leeds United in 2023—was approaching the final months of his contract. Reports indicate he is close to signing a new deal that would keep him in Turin through 2030, a major commitment from a club that has come to rely on his versatility and attacking output under manager Luciano Spalletti. Entering his prime, McKennie is expected to play a central role for the USMNT at this summer's World Cup, played entirely on home soil.