FC Barcelona confirmed today that Sergiño Dest is still out of action due to a minor back problem that kept him out of the latest World Cup qualifiers, and will not be available for new coach Xavi’s first game tonight.
Let’s briefly turn our attention to three USA internationals who, for various reasons, did not join their teammates for the recently-completed World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Jamaica.
Christian Pulisic has had a difficult time at Chelsea the past few months, but that could change in January as it appears that Spanish La Liga side Barcelona has listed him as one of their targets when the winter transfer window opens.
The fourth round of games in the Champions League group stage is now completed, and the picture of which Americans in the competition will join in next year’s knock-out round or watch from their couch is beginning to come clear.
On the same day he was omitted from Gregg Berhalter’s latest USMNT roster, Barcelona clarified that Sergiño Dest is suffering from a back problem that will keep him off of the field for the time being.
It was a largely uneventful weekend for Americans in Spain, with Sergiño Dest being the only player called into action in a disappointing home results for in-flux Barcelona.
Sergiño Dest had mixed fortunes in Barcelona’s El Clásico loss to Real Madrid, while Matt Miazga and Alaves put on an impressive defensive road show to take all the points at Cadiz.
There were wildly mixed fortunes in midweek Champions League action, with Brendon Aaronson and Weston McKennie helping their teams to the cusp of knock-out round qualification, and Tyler Adams playing an unfortunate role in Leipzig’s collapse to PSG.
Sergiño Dest continued his fine form in Barcelona’s crucial victory over Yunus Musah and Valencia while Matt Miazga and Alaves had their hearts broken in a last-second loss to Real Betis.
A Sergino Dest stunner and an own goal created by a Timothy Weah strike were all the United States men’s national team needed to overcome Costa Rica to take all three points in the final game of this round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers at the Lower.com Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday night.
