Luciano Spalletti, head coach of Juventus, has suggested that United States midfielder Weston McKennie should adopt a more attacking role following his team’s 3-0 victory over Napoli on Sunday.
“McKennie is an ideal central striker,” Spalletti remarked. “He is competitive, strong in aerial duels, and has impressive jumping ability. He plays decisively and aims for results, making him an excellent fit for the striker position.”
With this win over the reigning Serie A champions, Spalletti’s Juventus climbed to fifth place, keeping up with teams contending for a top-four finish, while leaders Inter Milan sit atop the table with 52 points after 22 matches.
McKennie, who played the full 90 minutes, was not the only North American to earn accolades after the match. Canada’s Jonathan David also shone by netting his third goal in four games, catching Spalletti’s attention.
“[David] demonstrated that he can excel in tightly contested situations in the box, where space is limited,” Spalletti stated. “It requires putting forth full effort in those moments; otherwise, opportunities slip away. He scored like a true striker.”
Both McKennie and David are anticipated to be crucial for the United States and Canada, respectively, as preparations ramp up for the World Cup this summer.
The victory allowed Spalletti to outmaneuver Antonio Conte in a matchup featuring former teams.
In the first half, David skillfully controlled a pass from Manuel Locatelli to score. Shortly before that, Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram had a close attempt, hitting the post. Only three minutes later, Francisco Conceicao’s effort was cleared off the line by Napoli defender Alessandro Buongiorno.
Juventus added to their tally in the second half with goals from Kenan Yildiz and Filip Kostic.
This loss dropped Napoli from third to fourth place, tying on points with Roma, who drew 1-1 with second-placed AC Milan.
Spalletti previously led Napoli to the Serie A championship in 2023, while Conte guided Juventus to three consecutive league titles and is a former player of the club.
David had made an impactful debut for Juventus in Serie A back in August, but after a goal drought, he found his scoring touch again this month with a goal and an assist against Sassuolo, followed by another goal against Cremonese and an assist in the Champions League against Benfica.
His season has also endured changes in coaching, with Spalletti stepping in for the dismissed Igor Tudor in October.
On a positive note for Napoli, Romelu Lukaku made his long-awaited return in the second half after recovering from an injury sustained during a preseason match.
However, Lukaku squandered his chance, which was set up beautifully by Rasmus Hojlund.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.