New York City FC defenders Maxime Chanot and Mitja Ilenič were called up to national team duty, and could miss up to two league games as the MLS schedule this year is not accommodating the March international break, which runs from March 20 to March 28.
Chanot was once again called up to the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Football – that’s the Lëtzebuergesch Foussballnationalequipe in Luxembourgish – as the team fight to qualify for UEFA Euro 2024. The 33-year-old center-back has been a fixture on the squad in recent years.
Luxembourg will play two games in the eight-day window:
• Matchday 1: Slovakia vs Luxembourg, Anton Malatinský Stadium, Slovakia, Thursday, March 23, 3:45 pm ET
• Matchday 2: Luxembourg vs Portugal, Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Sunday, March 26, 2:45 pm ET
Ilenič has earned 13 caps and counting for the Nogometna Zveza Slovenije youth teams, including five for the U21 squad. During this international break, the 18-year-old right-back will be with the U19 team as they fight to qualify for the Euros. Slovenia U19 is in Group B, which includes heavyweights Belgium U19, Germany U19, and Italy U19.
Slovenia U19 will play three games in the eight-day window:
• Matchday 1: Belgium U19 vs Slovenia U19, Bezirkssportanlage Obervieland, Germany, Wednesday, March 22, 11 am ET
• Matchday 2: Slovenia U19 vs Italy U19, Bezirkssportanlage Obervieland, Germany, Saturday, March 25, 7 am ET
• Matchday 3: Germany U19 vs Slovenia U19, Weserstadion Platz 11, Germany, Tuesday, March 28, 6 am ET
Both Chanot and Ilenič are expected to miss MLS Matchday 5, when NYCFC travel to Texas to play Houston Dynamo on Saturday, March 25 at 8:30 pm ET. It’s unclear if they will also miss Matchday 6, when NYCFC travel to Massachusetts to play New England Revolution on the plastic grass at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 pm.
