Juventus' McKennie to miss 8 weeks with fractured foot

Juventus and United States international midfielder Weston McKennie fractured the second and third metatarsals in his left foot during Tuesday’s Champions League match against Villarreal, the Serie A side announced.

The club said Wednesday that it expects him to miss eight weeks.

The 23-year-old needed assistance to leave the pitch after a tackle from Pervis Estupinan, and McKennie was substituted in the 81st minute of the eventual 1-1 draw. He limped off with the help of the medical staff, unable to put any weight on his left foot, which got caught under the knee of a sliding Estupinan on the play.

McKennie had been among Juventus’ brightest players in the match until that point.

The injury comes at an inopportune time for both McKennie’s club and country. Juventus, already without several key squad members due to a variety of ailments, are still competing on three fronts and are in an intense battle to finish top four in Serie A.

The U.S. men’s national team, meanwhile, will resume World Cup qualifying on March 24. The Americans sit second in the “Octagonal” going into their final three matches – the top three teams automatically clinch berths in Qatar for this year’s World Cup.

The USMNT will travel to rival Mexico before closing out its qualification campaign with games against Panama and Costa Rica.