Thiago Motta makes McKennie Juventus captain for Benfica in Champions League | OneFootball

Thiago Motta has selected USMNT star Weston McKennie as his captain for Wednesday evening’s crucial Champions League match against Benfica, which will be the last in the newly-formatted league phase.

You can follow the action from tonight’s game as it unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog.

McKennie made Juventus captain for Benfica

McKennie will line-up as a left-back again for the Bianconeri in a selection crisis, with only four natural defenders called up to the travelling squad. Nicolo Savona, Jonas Rouhi, Federico Gatti and Pierre Kalulu are the only natural defenders to have travelled.

MONZA, ITALY – DECEMBER 22: Weston McKennie of Juventus celebrates with teammate Kenan Yildiz after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Monza and Juventus at U-Power Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Juventus’s regular captain in 2024-25, Manuel Locatelli, is not in the starting line-up for the Benfica match, and former skipper Danilo has now officially joined Flamengo in Brazil, which means that Motta has decided to hand the armband to McKennie on Wednesday night.

Leading the Bianconeri out is a sign of how the USMNT has turned things around at Juventus this season.

The club had been looking to move him on over the summer transfer window, but he forced his way back into Motta’s plans, has made 24 appearances already this term, and has also covered in a vast array of positions, including at left-back, in midfield and as a false nine at times this campaign.