_Jonathan David stayed hot with Juventus still looking for a striker, while Charles-Andreas Brym gave PSV a scare and Cyle Larin’s future appears to be up in the air. Here’s a look at Canadians in Europe this weekend._
**Jonathan David, Juventus**
After a slow start to his Serie A career that saw a coaching change in late October, Jonathan David is finding his groove at Juventus. The Brooklyn-born, Ottawa-raised forward contributed again as the Old Lady looked to keep pace at the top of the table in a clash with Scudetto holders Napoli at Stadio Olimpico.
A bright start by the hosts, including chances for Francisco Conceição and Khéphren Thuram, finally resulted in a goal in the 22nd from David. With Napoli having trouble maintaining possession in their own area, Rasmus Hojlund’s attempted clearance went backwards. Giovanni Di Lorenzo then tried one of his own, but it fell to Manuel Locatelli at the edge of the box. Locatelli dinked a ball back into the area for David, who fought off Leonardo Spinazzola and beat Alex Meret with his left foot to make it 1-0.
The goal was David’s fourth league goal of the season and his third in his last four matches. David’s shift would end after 76 minutes, coming off for Fabio Miretti. He finished his evening with three shots on goal, with two on target, a tackle won and four fouls drawn.
Juventus went on to record a 3-0 win with late goals from Kenan Yildiz and Filip Kostić to round out the scoring. The three points kept the Bianconeri fifth in the table on 42 points, one behind Napoli in fourth and Roma in third. It was Juve’s third win in their past four league matches.
After the game, manager Luciano Spalletti praised David, but his compliments were double-edged.
“David is a strong player, and tonight he showed that he can hold his own in a duel in the box, where there’s no space, so it has to be taken away from the opponent,” Spalletti said. “If you put all your strength into those moments, it’s fine; otherwise, you don’t get there. He scored a goal as a proper striker.”
Still, Spalletti acknowledged that his team is still looking to bring in another attacking option before the window closes, citing David’s lack of physicality when it comes to outmuscling defenders.
“There are strikers like Hojlund who drop into midfield, you smash the ball into them, and they still make it playable,” Spalletti said. “That’s something we don’t have. David is fine for scoring goals, but when you look further, you also need someone who battles physically with the centre-back. We don’t need a striker to score goals, but for that kind of job. David is very strong, but he can’t do that kind of job. If the team manages not to concede goals and David keeps scoring, like he is now. Then we’ll still keep our heads above the water we can breathe, and everything is perfect.”
The transfer window closes on Feb. 2.
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**Charles-Andreas Brym, NAC**
Relegation-threatened NAC did something only two other teams have been able to do this season in the Eredivisie on Saturday: take points off of leaders PSV. Getting one of the team’s two goals was summer signing Charles-Andreas Brym of Montreal, who picked up his first marker in a NAC shirt since joining from Almere City. The 27-year-old winger has been in the Netherlands since leaving the Lille reserve side for FC Eindhoven in 2021.
It was the hosts who opened the scoring in the 27th with a fine team move that started from the back. NAC defender Denis Odoi misjudged Joey Veerman’s ball for Couhaib Driouech, allowing him to come in alone on Daniel Bielica. Driouech swept the ball past a diving Bielia to make it 1-0.
The visitors would bounce back to stun the league leaders just before halftime. Jerdy Schouten’s clearance attempt was intercepted by Boy Kemper, which forced Schouten to cynically foul Brym to snuff out NAC’s break. On the ensuing free kick, Mohammed Nassoh curled a fine ball into the area for Kemper to head home and even things at 1-1 in the 45th.
Only minutes later things went from bad to worse for Schouten. From the restart after the Kemper goal, PSV was content with passing the ball back to kill off stoppage before the half. Armando Obispo’s ball to Schouten was a touch too heavy and that allowed Brym to pounce and dispossess. In alone on Matej Kovar, Brym’s effort rang off of both posts, but the rebound fell kindly and Brym was able to poke home into the empty net to make it 2-1 for the visitors.
The goal was Brym’s eighth career marker in the Eredivisie and first since March 2025.
Obispo would make amends at the death, though. Just as it appeared NAC would pick up a massive win over the league’s top team, Obispo would spare their blushes. The Curaçao centre-back somehow snuck behind the NAC backline to head home Veerman’s curling cross at the far post to make it 2-2 in stoppage and earn a point for PSV.
The draw was only PSV’s second of the season to go along with a single loss, incurred to Telstar back in August. Not getting all three points meant little to Peter Bosz’s side because it still enjoys a 14-point lead over second-place Feyenoord at the top of the table. On the other side of the field, NAC will undoubtedly rue the dropped points. A win would have taken them out of the drop zone at present. Instead, NAC remains in 17th place, one behind Telstar for the final safe spot after 20 matches.
Capped 13 times by Canada, Brym has not factored into Jesse Marsch’s thinking over the past several months. Brym did not make an appearance for Canada in 2025. His last game for the national side came in the summer of 2024. Brym played 35 minutes in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Rotterdam.
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**Cyle Larin, Feyenoord**
There is actually no match action from the weekend to recap for Cyle Larin. He did not dress in Feyenoord’s 4-2 win over Heracles on Sunday. The intrigue surrounding Larin comes from off of the field.
On Friday night, Fabrizio Romano reported that Larin’s loan at Feyenoord from Mallorca would be ending with another move on the horizon. Romano notes that four teams are already interested in landing the 30-year-old Brampton, Ont. native. Larin has only seen 158 minutes of action in the Eredivisie since joining Feyenoord earlier this month.
Speaking after his team’s win on Sunday, Feyenoord manager Robin van Persie denied that Larin’s absence from his squad was transfer-related. The Manchester United and Arsenal legend said that Larin had picked up a knock.
“He has no injury, but the knock was is so painful we only decided this morning he wouldn’t be in the squad,” van Persie said.
He went on to decline comment on any potential transfer.
Time is running out for Larin to ensure a place on Marsch’s World Cup squad. He made the move to the Netherlands in order to get more match time than he was getting at Mallorca, but that has not happened. With his Canada place in peril, a move before the transfer window slams shut on Feb. 2 might be in Larin’s best interest.