The timing for Sergiño Dest and the U.S. men’s national team couldn’t have been worse, but it’s onto Plan B for the final set of World Cup qualifying matches.
The Barcelona fullback was forced to withdraw from the U.S. squad on Friday after injuring his hamstring hours before Gregg Berhalter’s roster reveal for the decisive matches against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica beginning next week. Dest limped off from Barcelona’s Europa League last-16 win over Galatasaray, which punched the club’s ticket to the quarterfinals. The injury will keep him from Sunday’s Clásico, with Barcelona going to the Bernabéu to face Real Madrid in the middle of its push to cement a top-four berth and a return to the Champions League level.