By FRANCO PANIZO

Slowly but surely working his way back to a regular role, John Brooks is eyeing his potential first league start since September.

Brooks will be hoping to get the nod for the first time in more than a month when Hertha Berlin visit Paderborn on Sunday. The 21-year-old centerback is fresh off making a start, playing 120 minutes and helping Hertha record a cleansheet in a penalty kick defeat to Arminia Bielefeld in DFB Pokal action, and that midweek performance could pave the way for him to be included in Hertha’s lineup in a Bundesliga match for the first time since Sept. 19.

Danny Williams is also eager to make his return to his side’s starting , especially after spending the last several months nursing an untimely knee injury. Williams has been cleared to take part in Reading’s encounter with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, and while it seems more likely that he comes off the bench, the 25-year-old midfielder may have done enough this week in training to show he is ready to play from the opening whistle. The last time Williams played and started for the Royals was on April 22.

Wonder what other match might be worth watching? Look no further than Terrence Boyd and RB Leipzig’s home game vs. Kaiserslautern on Monday. Boyd opened his scoring account with Leipzig in a DFB Pokal fixture on Wednesday, and will be aiming to build on that while also moving his third-placed club up the table and into an automatic promotion spot.

Here is who the Americans Abroad square off with this weekend:

FRIDAY

Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers play Norwich City.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Andrew Wooten and SV Sandhausen play Karlsruhe.

Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey play Morelia.

Joe Corona, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido, Fernando Arce Jr, Amando Moreno, John Requejo and Club Tijuana play Toluca. (Corona is out injured.)

SATURDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Swansea City.

Cody Cropper and Southampton play Hull City.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play West Ham United.

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood, Brek Shea and Birmingham City play Wolverhampton Wanderers. (Spector is out injured.)

Danny Williams and Reading play Blackburn Rovers.

Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Brentford.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Huddersfield Town.

Emerson Hyndman and Fulham play Wigan Athletic.

Julian Green and Hamburg SV play David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen.

Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt play Hannover 96.

Joe Gyau and Borussia Dortmund play Bayern Munich. (Gyau is out injured.)

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play KSC Lokeren.

Conor O’Brien and FC Magna Wiener Neustadt play SV Grodig.

Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Chivas de Guadalajara.

Michael Orozco and Puebla play Pachuca.

Herculez Gomez, Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Jonathan Bornstein and Queretaro. (Bornstein is out injured.)

Edgar Castillo and Atlas play Club Leon.

Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Cruz Azul.

SUNDAY

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur.

Fabian Johnson and Borussia Moenchengladbach play TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play SC Paderborn 07.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Stade Rennes.

Rubio Rubin and FC Utrecht play Vitesse Arnhem.

Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play Excelsior.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play VfL Bochum.

Zarek Valentin and FK Bodo/Glimt play Lillestrom.

Michael Stephens, Andrew Jacobson and Stabaek IF play Haugesund. (Valentin is out injured.)

Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Jeb Brovsky and Stomsgodset. (Gatt is out injured.)

Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Odd.

Freddy Adu and FK Jagodina play Donji Srem.

MONDAY

Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Crystal Palace.

Terrence Boyd and RP Leipzig play Kaiserslautern.

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Which of these matches are you most anticipating? Has Brooks done enough in his recent performance to earn a start this weekend? Think Williams will see time or start for Reading?

Share your thoughts below.