Schalke and USA midfielder Weston McKennie has been ruled out until further notice after suffering heavy bruising to his lower thigh against Bayern Munich on Bundesliga Matchday 4, but the injury is not as serious as first thought.

The game was little over 50 minutes old when McKennie, with Schalke trailing 1-0, was caught on his left leg by goalscorer James Rodriguez as the two players jostled for a loose ball. The 20-year-old immediately went to ground, before being carried off the pitch in tears.

The injury represents a serious setback for McKennie, who has already established himself as an integral player for club and country. The Texan midfielder was making his fifth start of the season, and second in three days after taking to the UEFA Champions League stage for the first time, chiming in with a debut assist in the midweek draw with Porto. He also earned his fifth and sixth senior international caps for the USA during the September international break.

McKennie, who made his Bundesliga debut on the final day of the 2016/17 Bundesliga campaign and first appearance for the USA - scoring in a friendly against Portugal - in November 2017, has amassed 36 competitive appearances as a professional to date. He suffered a knee ligament crack midway through last season, but only missed six games as a result of the injury.

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