New York City FC head coach Pascal Jansen will be absent from the touchline for the club’s upcoming match due to personal matters requiring his attention.
The club has confirmed that Jansen will not be present on the sideline as NYCFC prepares to face the New England Revolution in their next fixture.
This is not the first occasion on which Jansen has had to step away from his duties with the club to deal with matters away from football.
Previously, New York City FC released a formal statement addressing one such absence, which read: “Head Coach Pascal Jansen has returned to Europe for a personal matter and will miss our match against Montreal this weekend.”
The pattern of absences has drawn attention at a particularly delicate period in the club’s season, with results on the pitch creating mounting pressure.
Mehdi Ballouchy, a longtime assistant coach and former New York City FC player, will step in to take charge of the team during Jansen’s absence.
Ballouchy is a familiar and trusted figure within the organisation, giving the squad some continuity in leadership despite the head coach’s unavailability.
The timing of Jansen’s departure is far from ideal, as NYCFC are currently enduring a seven-game winless run across all competitions, a deeply concerning stretch for the club.
That prolonged run without a victory has placed the team under significant scrutiny, and pressure is growing on both the coaching staff and the playing squad to produce a response.
The match against the New England Revolution now takes on even greater importance, with NYCFC desperate to rediscover some form and arrest their troubling slide in results.
Ballouchy will need to galvanise the squad quickly and find a way to end the winless streak while Jansen tends to his affairs away from the club.
Whether Jansen will return for fixtures beyond this upcoming match remains to be confirmed, and the club has not indicated a specific timeline for his return to the dugout.
NYCFC supporters will be hoping the combination of Ballouchy’s leadership and a response from the players can provide a much-needed turning point in what has been a frustrating spell for the New York side.
