U.S. team sends Weston McKennie back to Juventus after protocol breach

ASHVILLE, Tenn. — Midfielder Weston McKennie is being sent backmost to Italy and volition miss his 2nd consecutive World Cup qualifier aft breaking U.S. squad COVID-19 protocols.

U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter made the announcement Monday, a time aft the U.S. and Canada played a 1-1 draw.

McKennie, among the leaders connected the U.S. team, started past Thursday’s opening 0-0 gully astatine El Salvador. He was not allowed to beryllium connected Sunday’s game-day roster.

With unit mounting, the 10th-ranked U.S. plays astatine No. 63 Honduras connected Wednesday night.

“Weston volition instrumentality to Italy and volition beryllium unavailable for the lucifer against Honduras owed to a usurpation of squad policy,” Berhalter said successful a statement. “There are precocious expectations for those who are a portion of the U.S. men’s nationalist team, and successful bid to beryllium palmy it’s important that everyone successful the radical is accountable.”

McKennie apologized successful a connection connected Sunday. The U.S. Soccer Federation did not marque him disposable to the media.

A 23-year-old from Fort Lewis, Washington, McKennie missed Juventus’ derby against Torino successful April aft violating COVID-19 protocols successful Italy. One of the apical U.S. players, helium has 7 goals successful 25 planetary appearances.

Sergiño Dest besides volition miss the crippled aft spraining his close ankle successful the 44th infinitesimal Sunday. The Barcelona extracurricular backmost joined Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gio Reyna (strained close hamstring) and Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen (back spasms and affirmative COVID-19 test) connected the sidelines.

San Jose midfielder Jackson Yueill was added to the roster and trained with the squad connected Monday.

The revised roster:

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest, England), Sean Johnson (New York City), Matt Turner (New England).

Defenders: George Bello (Atlanta), John Brooks (Wolfsburg, Germany), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona, Spain), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Miles Robinson (Atlanta), James Sands (New York City), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray, Turkey), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Colorado), Tyler Adams (Leipzig, Germany), Sebastian Lletget (Galaxy), Cristian Roldan, (Seattle) Jackson Yueill (San Jose)

Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Salzburg, Austria), Konrad de la Fuente (Olympique Marseille, France), Jordan Pefok (Young Boys, Switzerland), Ricardo Pepi (Dallas), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England), Josh Sargent (Norwich, England)