After nearly six weeks out with a shoulder injury, US men’s national team midfielder Weston McKennie is back in action for FC Schalke 04.
McKennie, 21, entered as an 80th-minute substitute in his team's 5-0 loss against Bayern Munich on Saturday in Bundesliga action. The FC Dallas Academy product last featured for Schalke in a Dec. 15 game versus Eintracht Frankfurt, though recovered more quickly than German-American manager David Wagner initially anticipated.
The result saw Schalke maintain fifth place in the Bundesliga standings, while Bayern narrowed RB Leipzig’s first-place lead to one point. In the effort, former Vancouver Whitecaps youngster Alphonso Davies also went the full 90 minutes as a left back. Leipzig failed to lengthen their lead, as another USMNT staple, New York Red Bulls product Tyler Adams, started and played 71 minutes at right back in a 2-0 loss at Frankfurt.
Since making his first-team debut for Schalke during the 2016-17 season, McKennie has amassed over 70 appearances at the German club. The box-to-box midfielder has also featured extensively in Champions League play, though Schalke must charge up the Bundesliga table to book a return to the competition.
McKennie’s introduction provides a boost to USMNT plans, with European friendlies at the Netherlands (March 26) and Wales (March 30) on the horizon. McKennie has earned 19 caps and last represented the USMNT in a Nov. 20 match against Cuba in Concacaf Nations League play.
