By FRANCO PANIZO
After more than a month on the sidelines, Jermaine Jones is set to make his return for Schalke.
Jones has finished serving his three-game suspension for the red card he received in a loss to Stuttgart on Dec. 8, and he should be back in Schalke’s lineup on Saturday as they take on SpVgg Greuther Furth. The home game will give Jones an opportunity to show Jurgen Klinsmann he is ready to play in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup qualifier in Honduras next Wednesday, and it will be an opportunity he will want to seize if he wishes to have a chance at starting in San Pedro Sula.
Another intriguing match set to take place on Saturday is Maurice Edu and Bursaspor’s duel with Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray. Edu should make his third straight start for the club as they attempt to knock off the league leaders, and Bursaspor will have the advantage of playing at home.
If you’re wondering what other game might be worth watching, Satuday’s battle between Everton and Aston Villa should prove interesting as it will be a showcase of arguably the top two U.S. goalkeepers currently playing. Tim Howard and the Toffees will try to extend their four-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, while Brad Guzan and the Villans attempt to bounce back from last weekend’s loss to Newcastle United en route to moving closer to safety.
Here is who the Americans Abroad battle this weekend:
FRIDAY
Michael Bradley and AS Roma play Cagliari.
Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Werder Bremen.
Andrew Wooten and SV Sandhausen play FC Union Berlin.
Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Arsenal.
Tim Howard and Everton play Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa.
Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United play Swansea City.
Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Nottingham Forest. (Spector and Packwood are out injured.)
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Huddersfield Town.
Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Watford.
Mike Grella and Scunthorpe United play Crewe Alexandra.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Tranmere Rovers.
Carlos Bocanegra and Racing Santander play Sporting Gijon.
Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play SpVgg Greuther Furth.
Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play SC Freiburg.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Augsburg play VfL Wolfsburg.
Jozy Altidore and AZ Alkmaar play FC Groningen.
Maurice Edu and Bursaspor play Galatasaray.
Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Queretaro.
Jose Torres, Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza and Club Tijuana.
SUNDAY
Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play West Bromwich Albion.
Oguchi Onyewu and Malaga play Real Zaragoza.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Borussia Moenchengladbach.
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Borussia Dortmund.
Alfredo Morales, John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play SSV Jahn Regensburg.
Joe Gyau and St Pauli play Energie Cottbus.
Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Vitoria Setubal play Benfica.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Standard Liege.
DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco Fiscal and Puebla play Morelia.
Herculez Gomez, Hector Joya and Santos Laguna play Pumas UNAM.
MONDAY
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Kaiserslautern.
Tony Taylor and Estoril Praia play Pacos de Ferreira.
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Which of these games are you most looking forward to? How do you see Jones faring? Think Edu and Bursaspor can knock off Galatasaray?
Share your thoughts below.