Before the international break arrives, there was one last weekend of games in Serie A. Among the Americans playing in Italy are players the USMNT will be counting on to deliver in the Nations League quarterfinals next week. Did those players head into the international break on a positive note? Let's find out.
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan
Pulisic will make his return to the USMNT next week on the heels of a Player of the Match performance in Milan’s 2-1 win over Genoa. He gave Milan a 2-0 lead with a 19th-minute goal. Pulisic played 79 minutes before coming off, creating two chances and scoring on his only shot on goal. Not to be overlooked, Pulisic had seven defensive contributions, doing far more than scoring a goal in Milan’s fourth consecutive Serie A win.
It goes from bad to worse for Genoa 🫣
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 8, 2026
Milan latch onto a mistake at the back, and Christian Pulisic takes advantage 🤝
Stream Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/O755HF5J6E
Yunus Musah, AC Milan
Musah, who won’t be joining Pulisic with the national team, had a more modest performance. While typically deployed in central midfield this season, Musah played 87 minutes as a left winger on Sunday against Genoa. He created one chance and had two defensive contributions, but didn’t have a huge impact on the game in a much different role. Nevertheless, Musah continues to log a ton of minutes for Milan, allowing him to at least stay on the USMNT radar, even if he won’t be involved in the Nations League quarterfinals.
Weston McKennie, Juventus
After leaving last week with an injury, McKennie was back in the starting lineup for Juventus on Sunday in a 2-2 draw with Fiorentina. He played on the right side of midfield, lasting 79 minutes before coming off. It was far from McKennie’s best performance, as he created no chances and made three defensive contributions. He struggled on his long balls and sent a shot from just outside the six-yard box wide, spoiling a golden opportunity to score. Nevertheless, it’s a relief that McKennie was able to get back on the field, ensuring that he’ll arrive healthy at national team camp, especially with Gio Reyna and George Campbell already needing injury replacements.
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
The good news is that Venezia scored a much-needed 2-1 win over Udinese on Friday. The bad news is Busio wasn’t a part of it. He was an unused substitute in the match, as he continues his recovery from an injury that kept him out for six weeks. Busio has been available for four matches since returning from injury, coming off the bench once and getting one start. But it’s clear he’s not quite in the form he was early in the season when he was Venezia’s most important midfielder.
Benjamin Cremaschi, Parma
Cremaschi finally found his way onto the field, getting the start for Parma’s 2-1 loss to Bologna on Saturday. It was just the second appearance of the season for Cremaschi, and his first start. Since he hasn’t gotten many minutes this season, Cremaschi played just 45 minutes, starting as a right wing-back. Overall, Parma didn’t generate much during the first half, although the 21-year-old American created two chances and had three defensive contributions. It’s not much, but it’s a step in the right direction for Cremaschi, who will be with the Under-23 squad during the international break.
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