This was an excellent week for American fullbacks, with Alex Freeman and Joe Scally delivering decisive goals in important victories, while Sergiño Dest earned recognition for two strong performances against quality European opposition.
Christian Pulisic produced the most impressive overall attacking performance of the week, scoring early and creating chances throughout AC Milan's 2-0 victory at Udinese. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah also found the back of the net, although their performances were not quite as convincing as the goals might suggest.
Back in MLS, 17-year-old Adri Mehmeti continued his emergence as one of the most intriguing young American midfielders, helping Red Bull New York defeat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 2-0 in a critical game for their playoff hopes.
There were some encouraging developments beyond the headline performances. Tyler Adams continues to play an important role in Bournemouth's outstanding early season, Mark McKenzie had a strong defensive performance for Toulouse and Gianluca Busio returned to Venezia's matchday squad after his hamstring injury.
The news wasn't nearly as positive for several other midfielders. Yunus Musah struggled badly in Milan's Europa League loss to Bournemouth, Tanner Tessmann was ineffective in Lyon's midfield against Hoffenheim and Brenden Aaronson failed to make the most of another starting opportunity for Leeds.
Johnny Cardoso also suffered another injury, interrupting what had been a very promising stretch at Atlético Madrid.
Stock Watch
↑ Up: Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally, Adri Mehmeti, Tyler Adams and Mark McKenzie. Pulisic was dangerous throughout Milan's victory, Freeman and Scally provided critical goals, and Dest earned Dutch media recognition for his work against Feyenoord. Adams continues to anchor Bournemouth's midfield, while McKenzie had one of the strongest defensive performances among the American center backs.
↗ Encouraging: Weston McKennie, Gianluca Busio and Cole Campbell. McKennie scored for Juventus and remains an important part of the team, although his overall performances were uneven. Busio finally returned to Venezia's bench following his hamstring injury, and Campbell made his return from an ankle problem for Elversberg.
— Mixed: Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards and Bryan Reynolds. Weah scored a spectacular goal but conceded a penalty. Reynolds assisted in Europe but also gave away a penalty and lost his league starting spot. Reyna was the best of a struggling Strasbourg attacking group, while Robinson and Richards had uneven defensive performances.
↓ Concern: Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessmann, Brenden Aaronson, Folarin Balogun, Benjamin Cremaschi and Lennard Maloney. Cardoso's latest muscle injury is the most unfortunate development. Musah, Tessmann and Aaronson struggled in their midfield roles, while Balogun, Cremaschi and Maloney continue to receive very limited playing time.
Injured: Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, and Kevin Paredes. All remain unavailable, with Pepi's absence increasingly affecting PSV's attacking options.
Spotlight Players
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan
This was one of the most complete attacking performances Pulisic has delivered since returning from his post-World Cup layoff.
After sitting out Milan's disappointing 3-0 Europa League loss at Bournemouth during the week, Pulisic returned to the starting lineup Sunday against Udinese and immediately reminded everyone why he remains the club's most dangerous attacking player.
He needed only six minutes to get on the scoresheet.
Luka Modrić recognized an opening in Udinese's defensive line and played an excellent pass over the top for Pulisic, who timed his run perfectly and finished past Maduka Okoye.
It was an outstanding combination of awareness, movement and execution. Pulisic recognized the opportunity early, attacked the space before the defenders reacted and finished cleanly.
But his influence went well beyond the goal.
In the 11th minute, Pulisic dropped into midfield to collect possession before playing an excellent forward pass that created a clear scoring opportunity, only for his teammate to miss the chance.
That sequence demonstrated one of the most encouraging aspects of his performance. He wasn't simply waiting around the penalty area for the final pass. He was coming deeper to connect the buildup, turning toward goal and recognizing when his teammates were making dangerous runs.
Around the 26th minute, he got forward again and delivered a dangerous ball from near the end line. Later in the half, he nearly reached another cross in the penalty area for what would have been his second goal.
Just before halftime, he created another opportunity with an early cross into the box, recognizing the opening and delivering the ball before Udinese's defense could reorganize.
Around the hour mark, he combined with Davide Bartesaghi on a quick give-and-go that carried him into the box before getting off another shot from a tight angle, forcing Okoye into a save.
Pulisic finished the game with four shots, two on target and three key passes. Milan generated approximately 3.15 expected goals, and Pulisic was involved in a significant portion of the team's most dangerous attacking sequences.
The Italian reaction was appropriately enthusiastic. Milan-focused outlet Pianeta Milan gave him a 7.5/10, highlighting how frequently the attack flowed through him.
The most interesting development is how Pulisic fits into Rúben Amorim's attack.
Milan lined up in a 4-4-1-1, with Pulisic operating underneath Gonçalo Ramos. That position gives him the freedom to drift toward the left, receive between the lines and attack the spaces around the striker.
The combination with Modrić is particularly promising. The veteran midfielder can recognize and execute passes that most players wouldn't attempt, while Pulisic is excellent at identifying exactly when to make the run.
After beginning the season with limited minutes, Pulisic has reclaimed a central role in the attack.
The major takeaway is that Pulisic once again looked like the most influential attacker on the field for nearly the entire 90 minutes, creating opportunities in several different ways and repeatedly making the decisions that turned Milan's possession into genuine danger.
For the USMNT, that's the version of Pulisic everyone wants to see.
Sergiño Dest, PSV Eindhoven
Dest quietly put together one of the strongest two-match weeks of any American player.
He completed all 180 minutes as PSV defeated Porto 1-0 in the Champions League before drawing 1-1 with Feyenoord in an important Eredivisie matchup.
Neither performance produced a goal or assist, but both demonstrated why Dest remains such a valuable player for club and country.
The victory at Porto was particularly impressive.
PSV entered the game needing a result after a difficult start to its Champions League campaign. Playing away against a quality Portuguese opponent, Peter Bosz's team delivered a disciplined performance and protected a narrow second-half lead to earn its first victory of the league phase.
Dest started at right back and was important at both ends of the field. However, the biggest positive against Porto may have been his defensive contribution.
Dutch outlet Voetbal International gave Dest a 7/10, specifically highlighting an excellent defensive intervention. The outlet considered PSV's central defenders the team's strongest performers but recognized Dest as another important part of the clean-sheet victory.
Four days later, PSV hosted Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord in a game with major implications for the title race.
PSV was excellent for much of the first half, pressing aggressively and controlling the midfield. Guus Til gave them the lead in the 21st minute, and the defending champions created enough opportunities to establish a much more comfortable advantage.
Dest was important to PSV's ability to keep Feyenoord pinned back.
He repeatedly advanced from right back, combining with teammates on the wing and giving PSV another player capable of moving the ball into dangerous positions. His movement also forced Feyenoord to devote more defensive attention to that side, limiting their ability to release players quickly in transition.
Unfortunately for PSV, the missed opportunities eventually caught up with them.
Anis Hadj Moussa equalized in the 56th minute after cutting inside and producing an excellent finish. PSV never regained the lead, settling for a disappointing draw that kept Feyenoord four points ahead.
Dest's overall performance still earned recognition.
Voetbal International selected him to its Eredivisie Team of the Week, the only PSV player included after the Feyenoord match.
Alex Freeman, Villarreal
Freeman's transition from promising MLS prospect to regular contributor for a Champions League-level club continues to accelerate.
The 22-year-old played approximately 30 minutes in Villarreal's Champions League loss to Liverpool during the week before starting Saturday's regional derby against Valencia at Mestalla.
By the end of the weekend, he had scored his first goal for Villarreal and helped spark a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory. The most interesting part of his performance was the number of different jobs Iñigo Pérez asked him to do.
Freeman began the match at left back, an unfamiliar assignment, but he handled the defensive responsibilities reasonably well, though his attacking play was less comfortable.
Spanish reporter Javier Mata of AS highlighted how Freeman's weaker foot limited his effectiveness on the left. He could still advance into attacking positions, but the actions that followed didn't come as naturally.
That changed when Pérez adjusted his lineup during the second half moving Freeman back to his preferred right side. Almost immediately making him a more influential attacking player.
In the 69th minute, Sergi Cardona delivered a cross from the left and Freeman made an aggressive run into the penalty area. He attacked the ball decisively and directed a header past the goalkeeper to equalize.
It was an excellent example of the physical qualities that make Freeman such an unusual fullback. At 6-foot-3, he provides an aerial presence that very few American wide defenders possess. He can attack crosses like a center forward, but he also has the speed to get forward from deep positions and recover defensively when possession changes.
The goal demonstrated his ability to recognize when to abandon his wide position and become an additional target in the penalty area. Freeman wasn't simply waiting for a rebound or benefiting from a lucky deflection. He continued his run and put himself in position to finish the move.
The equalizer changed the direction of the match.
Things became considerably more chaotic afterward, as Villarreal's Pape Gueye was sent off in the 79th minute before Valencia's Harvey Elliott also received a red card ten minutes later.
With both teams reduced to ten men, Villarreal eventually found the winner through Georges Mikautadze six minutes into stoppage time.
Freeman had moved again by that stage, this time operating farther forward on the right side of midfield as Pérez adjusted to the changing personnel and game state.
His manager praised him afterward, calling him a "super player" and specifically highlighting his versatility and composure.
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Scally may have delivered the most consequential individual performance of the weekend in terms of what it meant for his club.
Borussia Mönchengladbach entered Friday's match at Stuttgart having lost all six Bundesliga games. Another defeat would have made it the first team in league history to begin a season with seven consecutive losses.
Things looked headed in exactly that direction when Ermedin Demirović gave Stuttgart the lead after only five minutes.
But Scally helped turn the game around.
In the 38th minute, Zento Uno struck a volley toward goal from outside the penalty area. Scally recognized the trajectory, positioned himself in front of the goalkeeper and cleverly redirected the ball into the net with his backheel.
It was an unusually creative finish from a defender who has generally been regarded as more dependable than spectacular in attack.
More importantly, it gave Gladbach a way back into a game that had started terribly.
Scally finished with a goal and an assist in approximately 69 minutes before being substituted after receiving a yellow card earlier in the second half. It was his second consecutive Bundesliga game with a goal, following his impressive attacking performance against Köln earlier this month.
The major takeaway is that Scally is beginning to show more offensive versatility than he has generally demonstrated for club or country. He has always been a relatively solid defensive fullback, although that reputation has been tested by Gladbach's disastrous start to the season.
He doesn't possess Dest's dribbling ability or Freeman's extraordinary combination of size and speed, but what he does provide is intelligent positioning, defensive versatility and the ability to make useful decisions under pressure.
Adri Mehmeti, Red Bull New York
Mehmeti delivered perhaps his strongest evidence yet that he could become a very important midfielder for the USMNT over the next four years.
The 17-year-old started Saturday against Inter Miami in an enormous game for New York's playoff hopes.
Miami arrived with considerably more recognizable talent, including Rodrigo De Paul, Casemiro and Luis Suárez. Lionel Messi began on the bench but entered early in the second half.
New York won 2-0, and the performance was considerably more impressive than merely catching a superior opponent on a bad day. The Red Bulls were aggressive from the opening whistle, pressing Miami's buildup and attacking quickly when possession changed.
Mehmeti was central to their success.
He was involved in the opening goal in the seventh minute, showing excellent composure in a crowded midfield before combining with Ronald Donkor and advancing the ball to Mohammed Sofo. Sofo found Cade Cowell on the right, and Cowell drove a dangerous cross through the penalty area that deflected off a Miami defender for an own goal.
Mehmeti didn't receive an assist, but his work earlier in the sequence was crucial.
He helped New York play through Miami's midfield pressure and move the ball quickly enough to attack before the defense was organized. His individual skill on the ball was particularly impressive when matched against De Paul.
Mehmeti doesn't have overwhelming physical tools, and he isn't the type of midfielder who will regularly sprint past three opponents. His strengths are his first touch, awareness of the players around him and ability to recognize the next pass before the ball even arrives.
That was apparent throughout Saturday's match.
Mehmeti completed a team-high 53 passes and was consistently available as an outlet, helping New York escape pressure without simply kicking hopeful balls forward.
More impressively, he maintained that composure despite the quality of the opposition.
New York finished with just 34 percent possession, but that number badly misrepresents the match.
The Red Bulls outshot Miami 19-13 and generated considerably better scoring opportunities. They repeatedly won possession in useful areas, attacked quickly and defended well enough to prevent Miami's more accomplished attackers from taking over.
Mehmeti, Donkor and Sofo were instrumental in winning the midfield battle.
Mehmeti also demonstrated that he can contribute when his team is defending. His positioning helped close passing lanes through midfield, while his ability to retain the ball after recoveries prevented Miami from immediately restarting attacks.
Even Messi's introduction failed to significantly change the pattern.
The performance earned Mehmeti a place on the MLS Team of the Matchday, his third such selection this season.
Around Europe
Premier League and Championship
Tyler Adams, Bournemouth
Adams continues to establish himself as an essential part of Bournemouth's excellent early-season run.
He started both of Bournemouth's victories this week, playing 61 minutes against AC Milan in the Europa League before completing the full 90 in a 3-0 win over Manchester United.
His most consequential contribution against Milan came in the 27th minute when he goaded Milan keeper Mike Maignan into hitting him in the face during the setup for a corner kick, resulting in a red card. Playing with an extra man, Bournemouth controlled the remainder of the game and cruised to a 3-0 victory.
Against United, Adams was again important to Bournemouth's midfield structure. Marco Rose's team had only about 37 percent possession but was extremely effective defending centrally and attacking quickly after recovering the ball.
Adams finished with two tackles, five duels won and a key pass. More importantly, his positioning helped prevent United from finding clean passing lanes through midfield.
Bournemouth's ability to beat major clubs without dominating possession is becoming one of the most interesting developments in England this season, and Adams is an important part of that approach.
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Robinson played another 90 minutes as Fulham defeated Coventry City 1-0, continuing his encouraging return to consistent playing time after last season's ankle problems.
His performance was more mixed than the clean sheet suggests.
Robinson made an excellent overlapping run that helped create a first-half opportunity for Gonzalo García, demonstrating the speed and attacking instincts that have made him such an important player for Fulham and the US.
However, he also made a dangerous mistake with a loose backpass that released Brandon Thomas-Asante into a scoring position.
West London Sport gave him a 6/10, an appropriate grade for a performance that combined good attacking movement with a significant defensive error.
The minutes and fitness are encouraging, but he still needs to eliminate mistakes like that.
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Richards played 180 minutes across Palace's 2-2 Europa League draw at Beşiktaş and 2-0 Premier League defeat against Newcastle.
The results continue an ugly stretch for Palace, whose defensive structure has looked increasingly vulnerable in recent weeks.
Richards was relatively steady in possession, completing approximately 89 percent of his passes against Beşiktaş, but the larger concern is how frequently Palace is allowing opponents to create dangerous opportunities through its back line.
He remains secure in the starting lineup, although that alone doesn't guarantee his performances are meeting expectations.
There are legitimate questions about Palace's defensive organization, but assigning all the responsibility to Richards would be unfair without isolating his specific decisions and positioning on the goals.
For now, the concern is that one of the USMNT's most important defenders is playing in a defense that has lost much of its previous stability.
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
Aaronson received another opportunity to start for Leeds in Saturday's scoreless draw against Sunderland, but he failed to make a convincing case for a larger role.
Playing from the left side of the attack, Aaronson managed only 13 completed passes in 65 minutes and struggled to create consistent danger.
Leeds-focused coverage was extremely critical. The Yorkshire Evening Post gave him a 3/10, while the Yorkshire Post was slightly more generous with a 5.
The entire Leeds attack was poor, generating only 0.07 expected goals in the first half. Aaronson certainly wasn't alone in struggling.
However, manager Daniel Farke acknowledged that injuries to other attacking players influenced his decision to start Aaronson, suggesting the American has not necessarily forced his way back into the preferred lineup.
This was a missed opportunity.
Haji Wright, Coventry City
Wright remains sidelined with the quadriceps injury that has interrupted his first Premier League season.
Frank Lampard previously suggested November as the earliest realistic return period, although the club has not established a firm date.
For now, the priority is getting healthy rather than worrying about his place in the national-team striker competition.
Zavier Gozo, Crystal Palace
Gozo was not included in Palace's senior matchday squads against Beşiktaş or Newcastle.
The young winger has yet to establish a consistent role around the first team after moving from Real Salt Lake. His next step is simply earning regular opportunities to train and compete with the senior squad.
La Liga
Johnny Cardoso, Atlético Madrid
Cardoso's promising return to Atlético Madrid's starting rotation has suffered another frustrating interruption. He played approximately 21 minutes against Stuttgart in the Champions League before reporting thigh discomfort.
Subsequent testing revealed a low-grade muscle injury, and Atlético confirmed he would begin a rehabilitation program without establishing a return date.
The injury is especially disappointing because Cardoso had begun demonstrating exactly why Atlético invested in him.
After struggling to recover from ankle surgery during the summer, he became increasingly involved in Diego Simeone's midfield and produced several impressive performances, including a strong 90-minute outing against Manchester United the previous week.
There is no reason to view this as a loss of trust from the manager.
The issue is availability.
Cardoso has the technical ability and defensive awareness to become a major part of Atlético's midfield, but he needs a sustained stretch of healthy playing time to establish himself.
Serie A
Weston McKennie, Juventus
McKennie scored his first Serie A goal of the season as Juventus defeated Lecce 2-0.
The opener came in the 29th minute when he timed his movement perfectly to meet Douglas Luiz's free-kick delivery, redirecting the ball past the goalkeeper from close range.
It was classic McKennie, recognizing a scoring opportunity around the penalty area and arriving in the right spot before the defenders.
His overall week was less convincing than the goal suggests.
Against Rennes in the Europa League, he struggled with his passing and missed a major scoring opportunity. Corriere della Sera gave him a 5/10.
The Italian reaction to the Lecce performance was more positive but varied considerably. Some outlets rewarded his goal and attacking movement, while others continued to criticize his technical execution.
That distinction is important for McKennie.
His ability to arrive in dangerous positions and contribute to goals remains a genuine asset. His consistency in possession, particularly when opponents press aggressively, is a separate question.
Yunus Musah, AC Milan
Musah had one of the more disappointing individual performances of the week in Milan's 3-0 Europa League defeat at Bournemouth.
He started in midfield and played the entire match, but local Italian coverage was extremely critical of his technical execution. Multiple Milan-focused outlets gave him grades between 4.5 and 5.5, highlighting costly turnovers and his inability to help the team play through Bournemouth's pressure.
Maignan's early red card undoubtedly made Milan's situation considerably more difficult. However, several of Musah's mistakes came from poor decisions and execution rather than simply being outnumbered in midfield.
The familiar concern remains his effectiveness in deeper possession.
Musah is an outstanding athlete and can be extremely dangerous carrying the ball into open space. He has not consistently demonstrated the same comfort receiving with his back to pressure and moving possession quickly through tight areas.
He returned as a late substitute against Udinese but didn't have enough time to substantially change the assessment of his week.
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
Busio finally returned to Venezia's matchday squad Sunday against Genoa, appearing on the bench for the first time since suffering his hamstring injury in September.
He did not enter the match, but his availability is an important step.
Busio was playing some of the best soccer of his career before the injury, establishing himself as an important part of Venezia's midfield.
The next challenge is gradually rebuilding his match fitness and returning to the starting lineup.
Benjamin Cremaschi, Parma
Cremaschi was an unused substitute in both Parma matches this week, against Torino and Lazio.
That continues a concerning pattern for a young player who needs consistent competitive minutes.
There is no indication that his limited involvement is injury-related. He simply has not been able to force his way into Alberto Gilardino's rotation.
For a player with legitimate long-term USMNT potential, the lack of opportunity is becoming a developmental concern.
Bundesliga
Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman recorded an assist in Leverkusen's 2-0 Europa League win over OFI Crete, providing the pass for Jonas Hofmann's second goal.
Leverkusen dominated that match with 33 shots, and Tillman was comfortable participating in the attacking combinations that repeatedly broke down the Greek side.
Sunday's Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim was a very different story.
Tillman entered in the 41st minute after Moussa Diaby was injured, but Leverkusen struggled to create much danger and eventually lost 3-0.
His ability to contribute creatively remains clear, but he has yet to establish himself as an unquestioned starter.
Cole Campbell, SV Elversberg
Campbell returned from his ankle injury with an eight-minute substitute appearance in Elversberg's 4-0 loss to RB Leipzig.
The game was already decided when he entered, leaving little opportunity to influence the result.
The positive development is simply that he is healthy enough to get back on the field.
After a promising beginning to his Bundesliga season, Campbell now needs to regain match fitness and work his way back into the regular attacking rotation.
Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund
Albert was an unused substitute in Dortmund's Champions League match against Sabah before spending time with the club's under-23 setup around the Bundesliga fixture against Frankfurt.
The 17-year-old remains involved around the senior team but has not yet established a regular role.
Getting consistent competitive minutes, whether with the senior team or Dortmund's development squad, remains the most important next step.
Lennard Maloney, Mainz
Maloney was again an unused substitute as Mainz lost 3-2 to Werder Bremen.
The concern is increasingly his position in the club's midfield hierarchy. Mainz made several changes during the match but continued to overlook him.
Without regular playing time, Maloney has little opportunity to rebuild his standing in the USMNT pool.
Ligue 1
Tim Weah, Marseille
Weah scored one of the best American goals of the weekend in Marseille's 4-3 victory over Le Havre.
Operating from right back, he attacked from the wing, beat multiple defenders and drove a low shot past the goalkeeper in the 33rd minute.
It was an outstanding individual attacking sequence and another example of why Weah can be such a dangerous weapon in an aggressive wide role.
Unfortunately, the rest of the performance was not nearly as convincing.
Marseille built a commanding 4-0 lead before nearly throwing the game away, and Weah conceded a penalty with a foul on Fofana that helped start Le Havre's comeback.
French evaluations varied considerably, ranging from 4/10 to 7/10.
Some outlets emphasized his goal and attacking contributions, while others were much more critical of his defensive positioning and the conceded penalty.
That's a fair reflection of a performance with obvious positives and negatives.
Weah continues to provide dangerous attacking production, but playing as an attacking fullback also requires consistently managing the spaces left behind when he goes forward.
This was not an unqualified repeat of his excellent performance from the previous weekend.
Tanner Tessmann, Lyon
Tessmann had a difficult first half as Lyon was overwhelmed 3-0 by Hoffenheim in the Europa League.
Playing in central midfield, he struggled to move the ball through pressure and failed to provide the control Lyon needed against an aggressive opponent.
French outlet Homme du Match gave him a 3/10, specifically criticizing his distribution and limited influence in possession.
Lyon's problems extended well beyond Tessmann, with Hoffenheim generating 21 shots and repeatedly exposing the French side's midfield.
One important qualification is his halftime substitution.
Manager Paulo Fonseca confirmed that Tessmann and Felix Bacher were both scheduled to play only 45 minutes because of workload management ahead of the PSG match. Tessmann's removal was not a punishment for his performance.
He still didn't play well, but those are two separate issues.
After scoring the winning goal against Nice the previous weekend, this was a disappointing step backward.
Gio Reyna, Strasbourg
Reyna started and played approximately 84 minutes in Strasbourg's disappointing 3-0 defeat against Rennes.
With Fábio Baldé and Sebastian Nanasi unavailable, manager Hugo Oliveira moved Reyna to the left side of the attack rather than his more familiar central position.
The adjustment limited his ability to receive between the lines and dictate attacks through the middle.
Reyna moved back into a more central role after halftime and was generally more comfortable, but Strasbourg struggled collectively throughout the match.
Three French outlets rated him as Strasbourg's best starter, although his average grade was only 4.67/10.
That distinction is worth making.
Reyna was arguably the best player in a poor attacking performance, but that doesn't mean he played particularly well.
His regular starting opportunities remain encouraging after years of inconsistent club minutes. Now he needs to develop the consistency to influence matches even when the initial tactical setup isn't ideal.
Mark McKenzie, Toulouse
McKenzie quietly produced one of the stronger defensive performances among the American center backs this week.
He played the full 90 minutes in Toulouse's 0-0 draw with Troyes, completing 103 of 111 passes while recording five clearances and four aerial duels won.
Those numbers reflect a player who was heavily involved in possession but also comfortable handling direct balls and defensive challenges.
French outlet Homme du Match gave him a 6.5/10, praising his defensive work.
Troyes didn't provide the most difficult attacking test, but McKenzie continues to build a strong case for remaining involved in the national-team center-back competition.
Bryan Reynolds, Rennes
Reynolds had a frustratingly mixed week.
He started Rennes' Europa League draw with Juventus and helped create Mousa Al-Tamari's equalizer with an assist in the 15th minute.
That was the positive.
Unfortunately, Reynolds later handled the ball in his own penalty area, conceding the penalty that allowed Juventus to equalize.
His passing was also inconsistent, completing only about 63 percent of his attempts.
Manager Franck Haise then opted to start Przemysław Frankowski against Strasbourg, leaving Reynolds on the bench throughout Rennes' convincing 3-0 victory.
Reynolds has begun earning more opportunities after barely featuring early in the season, but performances like the Juventus match demonstrate why his place remains unsettled.
Folarin Balogun, Monaco
Balogun made only a brief stoppage-time appearance in Monaco's 1-1 draw with Lille.
He remains available but is struggling to earn meaningful minutes, with Paris Brunner currently receiving much more playing time in attack.
It's too early to conclude that Balogun has permanently fallen behind Brunner, but his limited involvement is concerning.
After the uncertainty surrounding his failed summer transfer, Balogun needs a sustained stretch of competitive minutes to rebuild his momentum.
Eredivisie
Ricardo Pepi, PSV Eindhoven
Pepi remained sidelined for both of PSV's major matches this week, against Porto and Feyenoord.
His continued absence is increasingly affecting the club's attacking options.
With PSV short of conventional strikers, Bosz has been forced to use Guus Til and other midfielders in more advanced roles.
The manager has acknowledged that playing without a traditional striker can provide advantages through more unpredictable movement, but it also creates problems with penalty-area positioning.
That is precisely where Pepi excels.
He may not be the most accomplished dribbler or linkup player, but his movement inside the penalty area and ability to recognize scoring opportunities remain valuable.
The injury is frustrating, particularly with PSV playing meaningful European matches, but his importance to the team's preferred attacking structure remains clear.
Kevin Paredes, FC Utrecht
Paredes remained unavailable with an ankle injury and missed Utrecht's 1-1 draw against PEC Zwolle.
The repeated injury interruptions are becoming the biggest concern in his development.
He needs a sustained period of health and regular playing time before he can realistically work his way back into the national-team conversation.
Video sources: AC Milan — Udinese; CBS Sports Golazo — Porto vs. PSV; PSV — Feyenoord; ESPN FC — Valencia vs. Villarreal; USA Sports — Stuttgart vs. Gladbach; Red Bull New York — Inter Miami.