GOAL's key takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Milan's struggles, different trajectories for Reyna, Campbell

Not every week is going to be a goal-filled bonanza. Sometimes, things just won't go quite right, and that's the best way to describe the weekend that was for U.S. men's national team stars abroad.

From Italy to the Netherlands to Germany to England, it generally was an underwhelming weekend for Americans playing in Europe. Some were on the receiving end of tough losses, whether blowouts or heartbreaks. Others settled for draws that never should have been, dropping points in games that should have been three points in the bank. Few will be particularly happy. It was just one of those matchweeks.

That's not to say there were no big winners. Tyler Adams and Bournemouth did their thing, cruising in the FA Cup. James Sands earned a Bundesliga debut for St. Pauli. Outside of that, though? Not great.

Fortunately, most Americans won't have to wait long to get back at it. Games are coming thick and fast across Europe and there's a busy midweek slate, including the Premier League, on the way. Good thing, too, because most of the USMNT's big stars will be eager to get right back at it after a tough weekend of games.

GOAL looks at key takeaways from Americans Abroad.

AFPPulisic main man, but trophy doesn't stop Milan tailspin

Sergio Conceicao appeared to be onto something. With Christain Pulsiic leading the charge, Milan won the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia, coming from behind to take down both Juventus and Inter, two of the league's elite. Surely that would give the club the momentum it needed heading into the second half of the Serie A season?

Nope. Pulisic was great once again, but there would be no momentum-building win on Saturday. Instead, it was more dropped points that continued a rough season for the Rossoneri.

In the end, Milan settled for a 1-1 draw with Cagliari, one that leaves them eighth in Serie A. The push to the Champions League was made even more difficult with Saturday's result, which resembled those that led to Paulo Fonnseca's dismissal just a few weeks ago. For whatever reason, this Milan team just hasn't been decisive enough in moments like this, and that's why they continue to lag behind the good teams in Serie A.

Pulisic isn't to blame, though. He created three chances on Saturday and had several of his own. His shot off the post led to Milan's lone goal, an Alvaro Morata rebound, and he nearly had one of his own pushed away by a solid save.

Even with that, though, Milan couldn't figure it all out, which has been a recurring theme throughout this campaign.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDortmund turn to Reyna and Campbell in moment of need

As they chased a game that ultimately slipped away, Borussia Dortmund turned to two Americans. Both Gio Reyna and Cole Campbell were tossed in as attacking subs with Dortmund desperate for a result.

It was a remarkable moment to see two Americans on the same field for such a big club at the same time. Ultimately, though, the comeback was never completed, as Dortmund fell 3-2 to Bayer Leverkusen.

For Reyna, you could say that the day was somewhat disappointing once again. He remains outside of the Dortmund starting XI, with Friday's match more evidence that he isn't fully trusted at Dortmund. Will anything change in January? No one seems sure yet but, even so, it seems Reyna remains a supersub and just a supersub for the German club.

As for Campbell, this was another step forward. His situation is much different than Reyna's. While Reyna is in a place where he should be an established star, Campbell is still a young player looking for meaningful minutes. He only got a few on Friday, but the fact that head coach Nuri Sahin trusted him enough to put him into such a desperate situation does show that they have some faith in the youngster.

Both Reyna and Campbell were key substitutes at a time in which Dortmund needed them, but both came on with very different wants and needs in their careers at the moment. Both are players to keep an eye on in the coming months.

Getty Images SportBittersweet return for Sargent

Josh Sargent is back, and that's very good news. Unfortunately for everyone else wearing Norwich colors on Saturday, the actual match he returned to was anything but.

The Canaries were already totally buried by the time Sargent was tossed in as a 79th-minute substitute. They'd been smashed by Brighton, who ran away as 4-0 winners. Sargent's appearance, at that point, was more ceremonial; there was nothing he was going to do to really turn things around.

Sargent didn't get to do much in his 11-minute runout. He completed his lone pass and that was about it. Even so, it was positive for the striker, who has been dealing with far too many injuries over the last few years. His latest came in October, keeping him out right up through Saturday's return.

The striker is very much still in the USMNT's No. 9 race, which continues to evolve. While Ricardo Pepi continues to score, Folarin Balogun, like Sargent, has missed significant time due to injury. Now healthy, Sargent knows he'll have to start scoring again soon, particularly if he wants to make a case by March.

For now, though, the first priority is finding his feet. He got 11 minutes of playing time on Saturday and, now that he's back in the team, he'll look to get back to that good form again as that fitness and confidence returns.

Getty Images SportScally strong, but Gladbach fall to Bayern

Since arriving in Germany, Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach have always given Bayern Munich headaches. Scally actually debuted in this fixture back in 2021, helping hold Bayern to a 1-1 draw. Since Scally joined the club, Gladbach had been 3-2-2.

There was no upset this time around, though. Instead, Bayern escaped BORUSSIA-PARK with the narrowest of wins, and you just know they'll exhale a bit given their recent history in this match.

It was just a 1-0 win for Bayern, with the match decided by a 68th-minute Harry Kane penalty kick. Bayern, of course, created plenty of chances, outshooting Gladbach 23-5, but in the end, it was just that run-up from Kane that made the difference.

Scally played his part. Matched up to face both Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies, Scally was never going to have an easy day at the office. He won six of his nine duels, though, and was dribbled past just once while earning a yellow card. He was given a tough test, the toughest the Bundesliga can throw at you, and, by and large, he stood strong.

The American defender has been playing at this level for quite a while. His defensive prowess has never been in doubt. Now, as Sergino Dest returns from long-term injury, a new USMNT right-back race awaits him, one where Scally has even more experience under his belt.