Why McKennie will play instead of Cambiaso in Juventus vs Fiorentina contest | OneFootball

Weston McKennie is once again expected to start at left-back as Juventus take on Fiorentina on Sunday evening at the Allianz Stadium.

The American has been showcasing his exceptional versatility by playing almost everywhere on the pitch this season. The 26-year-old is originally a central midfielder who operates as a box-to-box player, but he also featured as an attacking midfielder, a winger, a centre-forward (when Dusan Vlahovic was absent against Milan), a right-back, and most recently a left-back.

The former Schalke was first deployed on the left side of the defense due to an emergency that saw all natural options missing through injuries (Juan Cabal, Andrea Cambiaso and Jonas Rouhi), while Danilo had to cover elsewhere.

Nevertheless, McKennie managed to excel in this role, proving to be a natural fit thanks to his defensively sound displays and ability to support the attacks with his overlaps.

But with Cambiaso returning to the fold, Motta was expected to welcome back his beloved player with open arms, trusting him with an immediate starting spot. But on the contrary, all sources are reporting that McKennie will be the one starting on the left side against Fiorentina, with Cambiaso’s name nowhere to be seen in the expected starting lineup.

So what’s behind Motta’s curious decision?

According to IlBianconero, Cambiaso isn’t suffering from any physical issues and is fully fit to play. However, the Juventus manager has decided to make the choice for technical reasons, as he’s interested in seeing more of McKennie at left-back, as this could emerge as a long-term solution.

If the Texan continues to shine in this role, perhaps Juventus won’t need a new full-back in January, so Cristiano Giuntoli and Co. can instead focus on their quest to sign a central defender, and potentially a new striker.