Two Americans hope to return to the fight for next year’s UEFA Champions League in the German Bundesliga this weekend, while another fights off relegation.
After missing the last round of matches due to injury, Fabian Johnson and John Brooks will hope to be in the starting lineups for their respective sides this weekend as they battle for fourth place. Johnson and Borussia Monchengladbach face a tough test as they host third-place Bayer Leverkusen. Brooks and Hertha Berlin will feel the pressure as they host a Darmstadt team that are not yet out of the relegation fight.
Lower down the Bundesliga table, Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt will be confronted with an uphill battle as Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund come to town. Chandler’s side are in the bottom three going into the final two games of the season, and Dortmund’s potent attack doesn’t look to slow down anytime soon. U.S. Men’s National Team fans will look for the return of 17-year-old Pulisic to the starting eleven, after the midfielder shined in Dortmund’s youth team match on Monday.
In England, the battle against relegation just gets tighter and tighter for DeAndre Yedlin and Sunderland. Tyne-Wear rivals Newcastle United have three points almost guaranteed against Aston Villa, while Yedlin’s team play a Chelsea side that may be reinvigorated after a dramatic match last Monday. Sunderland are one point behind Newcastle with a game in hand.
Here’s what is in store for the Americans abroad this weekend:
FRIDAY
Sebastian Saucedo and Veracruz play Morelia.
Jorge Villafana and Santos Laguna play Chivas.
SATURDAY
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Newcastle United.
Tim Howard and Everton play Leicester City.
Matt Miazga and Chelsea play DeAndre Yedlin and Sunderland.
Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Crystal Palace.
Fabian Johnson and Borussia Monchengladbach play Bayer Leverkusen.
Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund play Eintracht Frankfurt and Timmy Chandler.
Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt play Bayern Munich.
Russell Canouse and Hoffenheim play Hannover.
John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Darmstadt.
Jose Torres and Tigres play Cruz Azul.
Edgar Castillo and Monterrey play Toluca.
Omar Gonzalez and Pachuca play Chiapas.
Michael Orozco, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejando Guido and Club Tijuana play Atlas.
Sonny Guadarrama and Dorados de Sinaloa play William Yarbrough, Miguel Ibarra and Club Leon.
Alejandro Bedoya and Nantes play Caen.
Danny Williams and Reading play Blackburn.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Cody Cropper and MK Dons.
Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Cardiff City.
Emerson Hyndman, Tim Ream and Fulham play Bolton.
Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Brentford.
Perry Kitchen and Hearts play Ross County.
SUNDAY
Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Pumas.
Jonathan Bornstein, Luis Gil and Queretaro play Puebla.
Desavio Payne and FC Groningen play Heracles Almelo.
Rubio Rubin and FC Utrecht play AZ Alkmaar.
Bobby Wood and Union Berlin play Arminia Bielefeld.
Fafa Picault and St Pauli play Nurnberg.
Andrew Wooten and SV Sandhausen play MSV Duisburg.
Caleb Stanko and SC Freiburg play Heidenheimer.
Shawn Barry and FSV Frankfurt play Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Cole Grossman and Staebek play Rosenborg.
Ethan Horvath and Molde play Haugesund.
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What do you think of this weekend’s action? Will Yedlin help Sunderland avoid the drop? Do you see Pulisic returning to the starting lineup? Who will place fourth in the Bundesliga?
Share your thoughts below.
Brooks, Chandler, and Johnson all listed as absent due to injury for this weekend.
This is definitely a cause for concern. Brooks and Johnson haven’t played in weeks because of injury and Chandler has been an after thought most of the season and is now injured. Still don’t know why TC was called up(after the season he’s had)but it’s the JK show so I presume we’ll be left to wonder for the forseeable future.
“U.S. Men’s National Team fans will look for the return of 17-year-old Pulisic to the starting eleven, after the midfielder shined in Dortmund’s youth team championship match.”
Didn’t know about this…is that perhaps why he didn’t get any time last week, although he was on the roster? And in what way did he shine?
The Dortmund u-19 team reached the Championship game. Considering he was part of the reason that they made it there, Tuchel let him play with them in the Finals. They won. He scored a goal. Presumably why he didn’t get any minutes with the first team.
That’s incorrect it was not the final. They clinched the regional title by maintaining their 5 pt lead over Schalke with one game to play. They will then play the other regional champs and one second place team in a final four knock out style tournament.
Also, CP has played much more frequently when BvB has been playing two games in a week, last week just one game. Does anyone really believe if Tuchel wanted to play CP he would have kept him out of the first team game with still an outside chance a title just to clinch the U-19 regional championship?
He was name by the Bundesliga’s website as the top story of April though.
http://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/noblmd33-april-top-ten-moments-christian-pulisic-marco-fabian-javier-chicharito-hernandez.jsp
Check out CP’s goal for the U19s last weekend if you haven’t seen it – awesome goal.
It was awesome, but against a bad u19 team down 5-0 in 80th minute, who seemed to have quit playing defense altogether.
Can’t seem to find it…any tips to increase my googling skills? (or perhaps a link)