Spots in the UCL are being clinched every weekend now. The following USMNT players look to be involved: Christian Pulisic Tyler Adams A coach and several players will be involved in the Playoff rounds to get in the UCL. Jesse Marsch, Aaron Schoenfeld, are on the first team of teams clinched at various playoff stages (Salzburg is just outside the Group stage while Tel Aviv and Celtic are in the lowest rung). Gutman and Perez are on the books at Celtic. Ethan Horvath will be on the second rung. Interestingly, all these players are on the books of teams that are in the UCL or near it: Zac Steffan Erik Palmer Brown Cameron Carter-Vickers Tim Weah Matt Miazga John Brooks is 2.5 points out of a UCL spot. Timothy Chandler is in the last spot. Youth players at teams in the UCL or in the last stages of the Playoff: Richie Ledezma Sergino Dest Gio Reyna Chris Richards Taylor Booth Konrad De La Fuente
Matteo Rittacchio is another, but pretty far from the first team. I think Ledezma and Richards probably have the best chance, of all the non-first team guys I listed, of being on a UCL roster next year. If Wolfsburg make it, and it is a long shot, I think Llanez could emerge quickly as his skill set can probably play if his position is freed from major defensive responsibility (like Sancho or Pulisic at BVB on the wings).
In a name I haven't heard in a long time, Dilly Duka's club won The Albanian SuperLiga today. They'll be in The Champions League
Seems like the Tyler Boyd move to Besiktas is done and just pending some other banking business, unrelated to Boyd, to be completed to be announced. This puts Boyd on a team in the Group Stage of the Europa League. Champions League: Christian Pulisic Tyler Adams Tim Weah Possible Group Stage entrants: Ethan Horvath Europa League: Tyler Boyd Fabian Johnson John Brooks Lots of youth players at many clubs in both competitions. Will be interesting to see if any of them make the tournament rosters. Interesting that of the 8 names above, only 2 were on the Gold Cup roster and only 1 played in the Final.
Yeah, but they are down in the 4th tier of qualifying or somewhere. If a team wasn't in the final round of qualifying then I don't want to really list them. If they get there, then he goes right on the list. I'm very interested to see if Dest, Richards, Ledezma, or even CCV make the UCL roster. We are already half-way through the First round of Qualifying. All the Americans at Celtic are on loan.
Sergio Dest on the bench for today's Champions League game for Ajax versus PAOK. Our Champions League squad! 📃#UCL #ajapao pic.twitter.com/EgMgtNlUuc— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 13, 2019
Champions League: Christian Pulisic Tyler Adams Tim Weah Possible Group Stage entrants: Ethan Horvath, Sergino Dest. Neither would probably be starters at this point. Europa League: Tyler Boyd Fabian Johnson John Brooks Possible Group Stage entrants: Timmy Chandler (they should make it in but I doubt Chandler plays much and ever gets called again to the USMNT).
I will not be surprised to see Dest as a starter this year in a Champions League match. He appears to be as much of a first team player as Weah does at Lille..................... As I speak we have Sergino entering the match at halftime: Sergiño Dest incoming❗️✖️ Razvan Marin#UCL #ajapao pic.twitter.com/Q4n5fztFHy— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 13, 2019
Dest and Ajax reach the Champions League group stage. So...………………...USMNT players in the Champions League group stage. Five of 'em all still 24 years old or younger. Also have players yet to make first team debuts at other Champions League clubs (Chris Richards, Alex Mendez, and company). Pulisic (Chelsea) Dest (Ajax) Adams (Leipzig) Weah (Lille) Horvath (Club Brugge) AMSTERDAM FINEST! ❌❌❌#UCL #ajaapo pic.twitter.com/EtQ0dKDWLS— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 28, 2019
pulisic, weah, dest all in same group (what, youre too good for americans, valencia?). leipzig should get through. brugge probably wont.
At least we're guaranteed 1 YA in the next round with 3 in 1 group. I've never seen Lille play, so I have no idea about Weah's chances to advance, but I will say that Chelsea and Ajax have failed to impress me so far. I wouldn't be shocked to see either fail to advance. It does seem like Leipzig has a good shot at going through. It's a relatively easy group, and they seem to be in good form (and we all know they'll be even better once Adams comes back).
I see Omar Gonzalez was going to be on this upcoming roster, welp that's seals it for Chandler. old buddy friends club over performance. BTW, I love it how Nagbe can continue to get called in by Bruce Arena's crew after rejecting call-ups on his own free-will but chandler gets scapegoating for doing this when his clubs in Germany actually try to block him. As Bob Bradley Confirmed to media and should have put the Chandler not-committed non-sense to rest. With Nagbe case, Bruce and Gregg have no standing to ignore chandler anymore, as the " we want committed players" motto dosen not work anymore because they kept calling an MLS player who wants nothing to do with USMNT at this point. Chandler during a Nurnberg training session ended Omar Gonzales european career. Chandler has been scapegoated ever since. Not the case? Prove me wrong Bruce and Gregg.
Reyna and Mendez turned out to be true All but one is still eligible for USYNTs. The one that isn't is Horvath who's still young for a keeper @ 24. There are 7 Americans on Champions League rosters for this coming group stage:Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)Sergino Dest (Ajax)Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig)Tim Weah (Lille)Gio Reyna (BVB)Alex Mendez (Ajax)Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge) pic.twitter.com/qGE7ia0fLz— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) September 4, 2019
Good to see Mendez and Reyna are considered one of the Top 25-35 players at their clubs. Weah and Parks had been included similarly in years past but never played for PSG or Benfica.
Yeah.......................it doesn't necessarily mean that playing time is imminent. It does mean that if there are some meaningless group games (because the team has already clinched advancement or elimination), these guys can play.
Plenty of other U19 players were not included. You have to fill a certain amount of the A list with a certain kind of player. Not sure that Reyna or Mendez actually qualify as homegrowns for the UCL since they just got there. Makes their inclusion more positive.
This is a pretty big milestone today................................ The first American to lead a team in the #UCL. #cf97 legend @jessemarsch makes history today.✍️ @grahamparkerfc https://t.co/6ZVWtsd98b— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) September 17, 2019
Has the Chelsea lineup even come out yet? All the predictions I have seen have Pulisic on the bench again. Mount is to Pulisic in 2019 as Sancho was to him in 2018. Most predictions have Pedro starting in his stead. I hope they are wrong... but I think Pulisic will be spending more time on the bench than I thought this year. Such a bummer.
Well, his first game on the bench and Chelsea score 5 and look good for the first time this year. I think a start would either be a surprise, but ya never know.
People said I was in a panic when voicing my concerns about him not playing at all against Wolves... they said it was the norm for US players to be given rest after an Int'l week.... But I think Pulisic has already been relegated as the 4th winger option after Mount, Willian and Pedro. It will be 5th once Odoi returns. He should have gone elsewhere.... somewhere he could play every game. You don't grow by practicing. Unless he seriously comes thru in his limited opportunities than I think Chelsea seeks to loan him out once their transfer ban is done.