Congrats @konradjr who has made his @FCBarcelona debut in today's @ChampionsLeague clash! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Z8SBBoRAXQ— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 24, 2020
Your updated list. This isn't taking the qualifying rounds into account. A bunch of Americans would be included. Claudio Reyna's famous Rangers goal against Parma and Buffon stands out. Welcome to the club, Sergiño Dest 👋🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/KK1q52Tl6f— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 24, 2020
We're the first team to have two 🇺🇸 players (@sergino_dest & @konradjr) on the field in the @ChampionsLeague since Manchester United did on December 8, 2004 (@TimHowardGK & @JSpector23) pic.twitter.com/xJRqMbfPCQ— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 24, 2020
That particular Man United team is also part of this stat: 1331378719534018561 is not a valid tweet id
And likely two more USMNT guys make it to the Round of 16 today in Richards and Steffen. Adams and Leipzig aren't out of it but they probably won't make it now.
1332006379389902851 is not a valid tweet id Also Dest in the Champions League "Team of the Week." Braithwaite & Immobile lead the attack in Matchday 4's #UCLfantasy Team of the Week! 👊#UCL | @PlayStationEU— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 26, 2020
On the Scuffed podcast released yesterday, they talked about how US players already had over 1,200 minutes in UCL group play. I'm not sure when they recorded, but that probably included any of the minutes from Tuesday. Not sure about whether it included any of Wednesday's minutes. Since Man City has clinched top in their group, they said it was pretty likely that Steffen would play Matchday 6 for City. So that means the record of US minutes in the UCL should be shattered even before knockout play. That's pretty impressive.
Matchday 5 updates: Chris Richards played the final half hour or so at right back for Bayern in a 1-1 draw against Atletico. Tyler Adams played the entire second half as a DM for RB Leipzig in a wild 4-3 win over Istanbul Basaksehir. Gio Reyna went the full 90 as an attacking midfielder for Dortmund in a 1-1 draw against Lazio. He also had a secondary assist on Dortmund's goal. Sergino Dest went the full 90 at RB for Barcelona in a 3-0 win over Ferencvaros. Konrad de la Fuente subbed in for the final 10 minutes. Weston McKennie went the full 90 in midfield for Juventus in a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kiev. He also played a part in Juventus's third goal with a run down the right flank. Christian Pulisic made his first start for Chelsea since the injury he picked up a little over a month ago, and went 67 minutes in a 4-0 win over Sevilla. Zack Steffen and Ethan Horvath were on the bench for Man City and Club Brugge and DNP in a draw with Porto and a win against Zenit respectively. And where things stand heading into the final matchday next week: Bayern (Chris Richards), Man City (Zack Steffen), Chelsea (Christian Pulisic), Borussia Dortmund (Gio Reyna), Juventus (Weston McKennie) and Barcelona (Sergino Dest, Konrad de la Fuente) have all secured advancement to the next round of the Champions League. This may also give Richards, Steffen, and Konrad rare opportunities to start next week, and give Pulisic another opportunity to work his way back into fitness, especially as Bayern, City, Barceolna, and Chelsea are all either guaranteed or likely to finish atop their groups. RB Leipzig (Tyler Adams) is currently in a three way tie on points with PSG and Manchester United for the top spot in their group. However, they are currently on the outside looking in at 3rd based on head-to-head tiebreakers, and they will likely need to get a win over Manchester United next week to advance to the next round. Club Brugge (Ethan Horvath) also sit 3rd in their group, and will need a win against Lazio next week to advance. Don't expect Horvath to play in that one. Brenden Aaronson and Jesse Marsch still have a chance to compete in the Champions League knockout stages this season, but Red Bull Salzburg will have to defeat Atletico Madrid at home next week to advance. And finally, if Joe Scally goes straight to the Borussia Monchengladbach first team in January as reported, it might be worth keeping an eye on their fixture as well. They currently sit atop their group with a very precarious lead, but any other team in the group could pass them with a win next week, and they play Real Madrid away in their final fixture.
Big moment for Zack Steffen (25). The USMNT GK is set to make his first UCL appearance tomorrow as Manchester City face Marseille. Steffen is joining Guardiola for the pre-game press conference today. pic.twitter.com/Fej5Mr1Lag— OneGoal (@OneGoalUS) December 8, 2020 With Steffen now playing, we'd be up to 9 USMNTers in the Champions League group stage. Extending the record. Average age? 21.3 Tyler Adams (Leipzig) Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona) Sergino Dest (Barcelona) Ethan Horvath (Club Bruges) Weston McKennie (Juventus) Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) Gio Reyna (Dortmund) Chris Richards (Bayern Munich) Zach Steffen (Man City)
No other way to put it - that's a world-class goal. From the give and go to the volley, it's a highlight-reel play.
Sorry, but I've been told he's far too unskilled to play for Juve. Perhaps he just was running and accidentally hit it and it went in?
Not just playing. But everyone is advancing (at the moment) except for Horvath & Brugge. Dortmund won their group. Bayern won theirs. City won theirs. Chelsea won theirs. Barcelona or Juve will win theirs & both will advance. Leipzig are atop theirs for the moment. 6 of 8 groups.
This should be framed on his wall. This is one of those highlights you're not gonna forget.@WMckennie CAN FLY! 🇺🇸🦅Check out his first @ChampionsLeague goal for @juventusfcen! (@TUDNUSA) pic.twitter.com/P9db23GhI3— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) December 8, 2020
Eight Americans in the UCL knockout stage so far:🇺🇸 Adams (Leipzig)🇺🇸 Dest (Barça)🇺🇸 De la Fuente (Barça)🇺🇸 McKennie (Juve)🇺🇸 Pulisic (Chelsea)🇺🇸 Reyna (Dortmund)🇺🇸 Richards (Bayern)🇺🇸 Steffen (Man City)Most Americans to play in a single UCL KO stage: 3 in 2004-05.— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) December 8, 2020 If Salzburg beat Atletico, you could Aaronaon to the list.If Gladbach draw Real Madrid, you could add Scally to the list(assuming both make the new rosters if said teams make it) https://t.co/9CqDhhEGeK— Tutul Rahman (@tutulismyname) December 8, 2020
🇺🇸 The American Duel: @sergino_dest 🆚 McKennie🎨 @RinaldoRu pic.twitter.com/V7fCDRFnCa— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 8, 2020 also Messi and Ronaldo played
I think deejay is saying that nearly half of the teams that will be competing in the knockout stage (most of whom we already know) will have had an American start for them. You've got Bayern (Richards), City (Steffen, set to start today), Chelsea (Pulisic), Dortmund (Reyna), Barcelona (Dest), and Juventus (McKennie). Adams oddly enough hasn't started for Leipzig in this tournament yet, though he's started the majority of Leipzig's Bundesliga matches this season, so if you count him that takes you to 7. If Salzburg can pull off an upset against Atletico today and Aaronson hits the ground running there (which may or may not happen), he could bring that number up to exactly half.
What I am saying is that 7 of the best 16 teams in the world using an objective measure have started an American this year.
Also, just to keep us from getting too pumped up. This is not unprecedented in CONCACAF. Back around 2010 Mexico had a similar amount of players in top clubs.