Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
It's been a while since we've seen a U.S. men's national team player play in Serie A, but that looks to change this weekend.
Michael Bradley is set to make his debut Chievo Verona debut on Sunday when the club takes on recently-promoted Novara. Bradley will be hoping to make a good first impression in the match, and not just because he'll have a new set of fans cheering him on. With his recent club struggles well-documented, Bradley will aim to silence some of his critics that insist he isn't good enough to be a starter for the U.S. team.
Jermaine Jones decided not to find a new club during the summer transfer window, and we'll get our first look as to how smart of a choice it was for him to stay with Schalke 04. The Royal Blues face VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday, and should Jones start, it would temporarily put to rest fears that he's going to be an afterthought at the club this season.
One player who you will no longer see on this list is Joe Corona, who recently represented Mexico's U-22 national team in a friendly against Chile. Corona is still eligible to play for the United States because he is not yet officially cap-tied to Mexico. But until he suits up for the U.S. team, Corona will remain off this list.
Here is who the Americans Abroad face this weekend:
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play FC Augsburg.
Matt Taylor and SC Paderborn 07 play Alemannia Aachen.
Herculez Gomez and Estudiantes Tecos play Adrian Ruelas and Jaguares de Chiapas.
Mix Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Tromso.
SATURDAY
Tim Howard and Everton play Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa. (Lichaj is out injured.)
Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Manchester United.
Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Southampton.
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Coventry City.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Hartlepool United. (Simek is out injured.)
Anton Peterlin and Walsall play Notts County.
Mike Grella and Brentford play Wycombe Wanderers.
Maurice Edu, Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra and Rangers play Dundee United.
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Motherwell.
Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play Borussia Dortmund.
Fabian Johnson, Daniel Williams and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play Werder Bremen.
Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play VfB Stuttgart.
Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play Energie Cottbus.
Luis Robles and Karlsruher SC play FSV Frankfurt Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Bordeaux.
Jozy Altidore and AZ Alkmaar play Vitesse Arnhem.
Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP play Pacos de Ferreira.
Samuel Petrone and Mjallby AIF play IFK Norrkoping.
Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Jose Torres and Pachuca.
Michael Orozco and San Luis play Atlas.
SUNDAY
Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play West Bromwich Albion.
Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Blackburn Rovers.
Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Millwall.
Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona play Novara.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play FC Cologne.
Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play VfL Wolfsburg.
Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play FC Union Berlin.
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play St Pauli.
Eugene Starikov and FK Tom Tomsk play PFK Samara Kryliya Sovetov.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play KV Kortrijk.
Chris Rolfe, Marcus Tracy and Aalborg BK play Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland. (Tracy is out injured.)
Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play AC Horsens.
Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Brad Rusin and HB Koge.
Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham and Molde FK play Brann.
DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla play Monterrey.
Edgar Castillo and Club America play Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante.
MONDAY
Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play Gefle IF.
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Which matches are you most looking forward to? How do you see Bradley faring should he make his Chievo Verona debut this weekend? Think Jones will play for Schalke against Wolfsburg?
Share your thoughts below.
Making it to Europe doesn’t mean you’re better than guys in the MLS. I think we all jumped off that extremely biased bandwagon a while ago. Kyle B and Shea alone have shown me there is quality in this league, and honestly the Russian top flight really isn’t that great. Eto’o’s move to Anzhi is really the only time we have even heard of a club other than Zenit or Spartak Moscow.
At the same time, I can say the exact same thing about the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish etc leagues, but I will again argue the point that they are not necessarily better than the MLS at all.
“Muchos cuates la joden con sus muladas de seleccion.”
jajaja
Mexico in 100 years of soccer have never won a world cup or been to a semi final. Mexico has only produced 2 world class players. Marquez & Hugo… Chicharo has to prove himself a bit more to be considered world class. 2 players in 100 years of Futbol is disgusting & embarrassing.lol… When was the last time a Mexican player was a captain of a European team?? Just wondering mi chavelo?
We have been once two a semi final of a world cup without caring for the game, and once to the quarter finals, 2-0, remember that buddy?! 🙂
Muchos cuates la joden con sus muladas de seleccion.
What? … Wait!
Corona was different from Rossi. Until he put on the Mexico shirt. Now he is another who has chosen against the land of his birth. Shouldn’t be on this list. If you want to follow him, there is plenty of info elsewhere. The whole point of the Americans Abroad section on this website, as I have read it, is to focus on players who may represent the USMNT, now or in the relatively near future. As such, it keeps me coming back to read it regularly.
Mexico’s domestic league is getting weaker and weaker every year, while ours has no end to to it’s progress in site.
If Mexico’s our god, then Argentina is yours, que no culo?
+1
Great idea.
+1
+1
What are you, 12? Can you not have a rational conversation? Ives, how about banning trolls like “Jim in Atlanta”?