USMNT weekend viewing guide: major matchups

It’s a fantastically full weekend with matchups around Europe that include Americans going head to head, or making appearances in major European clashes such as Inter Milan v Juventus and Barcelona meeting Real Madrid in the latest edition of El Clasico. Let’s jump straight to Saturday which is when the action begins.

Saturday

RB Leipzig v Greuther Furth - 9:30a on ESPN+

Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig will look to bounce back from a painful loss to PSG in mid-week Champions League play when they face Julian Green and a Greuther Furth team that looks destined for relegation.

After giving up an early goal to Kylian Mbappe, Leipzig had pulled back and taken a 2-1 lead in Paris and looked on track for what could have been a signature with for Jesse Marsch’s club. However, they would see it slip away when Tyler Adams misplayed a ball while under pressure (possibly being fouled) and had it land right at the feet of Mbappe who would feed Messi for the tying goal. Minutes later PSG would take the lead on a Messi penalty.

Things should be significantly easier for Leipzig this weekend as they face a Furth side with one draw and seven losses in their first eight matches. Obviously they don’t want to completely overlook them as dropped points to a team of that level would be devastating to a Leipzig currently tied for eighth place and hoping to compete for a top of the table position but this matchup might be an opportunity to rest some players who have already seen a high number of minutes across multiple competitions this season.

Julian Green has struggled to make an impact for Greuther Furth in their Bundesliga campaign and the club has seen any hopes of avoiding relegation slip away as quickly as imaginable. Green is still looking for his first goal contribution on the season and has just over 100’ in the teams past four matches, having failed to make it off the bench in two of those contests.

Other notes:

• A potential matchup in the EPL will have to be put on hold as injury will keep Christian Pulisic out of Chelsea’s match with Norwich City and Josh Sargent. The clubs face off at 7:30a on NBCSN.
• It’s an American matchup in Spain that can be seen on ESPN2 as Yunus Musah and Valencia face Matthew Hoppe’s Mallorca. Musah saw 15’ off the bench last weekend against Barcelona after starting the previous two matches for Valencia. However, the potential matchup could be ruined by Hoppe’s failure to appear, he has not seen the field in the past month and was not included in last weekends squad. The matchup will take place at 8a Saturday morning.
• Zack Steffen received his first EPL start with Manchester City last weekend and looked solid in the teams 2-0 win over Burnley. However, Ederson was available for the clubs midweek thumping of Club Brugge and will resume his role barring injury. Man City face Brighton and Hove Albion at 12:30p on NBC.
• The Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City face off in a battle for the Western Conference. Currently Kansas City trail by six points but they have a game in hand so a head to head win over Seattle would give them the opportunity to pull even. The match will be at 2:30p on Univision and TUDN.
• The LA Galaxy and FC Dallas meet at 10p on Univision and TUDN so get on board the night train.

Streaming overseas:

• John Brooks and Wolfsburg will look to get back on track when they face Freiburg at 9:30a on ESPN+. Wolfsburg have lost three straight Bundesliga matches and fell midweek to RB Salzburg in Champions League play as well.
• Chris Richards will have a change to make a first hand impression with his parent club when Hoffenheim face Bayern Munich at 9:30a on EPSN+.
• Giovanni Reyna remains out amid concerns that he may be out through the November international window as well. Borussia Dortmund face Arminia Bielefeld at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Matt Miazga and Deportivo Alaves face Cadiz at 10:!5a on ESPN+. Miazga has started the last three matches for Alaves.
• Gianlucca Busio and Venezia have pulled themselves up to 15th place on five points from their last three matches and now face fourteenth place Sassuolo. The club is still just two points out of the relegation zone but if they are able to build on this strong run they will be in good position.
• Fightin’ Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach face Hertha Berlin at 12:30p on ESPN+. After a slow start to the season Gladbach have pulled themselves up to 10th place and solidly middle of the table.
• Timothy Weah and Lille take on Brest at 3p on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports. Lille lost last weekend to Clermont Foot and are still trying to find their bearings in their campaign to defend last seasons title.

MLS Mashup (all games on ESPN+):

• Gyassi Zardes and the Columbus Crew face Caden Clark and the New York Red Bulls at 6p.
• Keaton Parks, James Sands and NYCFC face Paul Arriola, Kevin Paredes and DC United at 7:30p.
• Michael Bradley and Toronto FC face Montreal at 7:30p.
• Paxton Aaronson continues to see the field for the Philadelphia Union who face Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC at 7:30p.
• Kellyn Acosta and the Colorado Rapids face the Portland Timbers at 9p.
• Cade Cowell and the San Jose Earthquakes finish the night against Vancouver at 10p.

Sunday

Barcelona v Real Madrid - 10:15a on ESPN+

It’s an El Clasico matchup between Barcelona and Real Madrid and everybody is asking one question: does Sergino Dest have a new position? The American right back has been starting on the wing for Barcelona, most recently in their 1-0 Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev though he did shift back to his more traditional RB role midway through the game. Dest also started at RW last weekend in the teams 3-1 win over Valencia and picked up an assist on the final goal.

Barcelona come into their first meeting of the season with Real Madrid five points out of first place and two points behind a cluster of teams that are currently in second including Real and Atletico. The matchup has not been kind to Barcelona recently, they are looking for their first head-to-head win since 2019 and have lost three straight.

Other notes:

• Bryan Reynolds finally made the field for Roma but it was in a 6-1 Europa Conference League play thumping at the hands of Bodo/Glimt and he has not sniffed the field regularly in league play so it seems unlikely we will see him Sunday when Roma face Napoli at Noon on CBSSN.
• Weston McKennie looks to continue his solid form as Juventus face Inter Milan at 2:45p on CBSSN.
• Daryl Dike and Orlando City SC close out the weekend against Matt Turner and the New England Revolution at 7:30p on FS1.

Streaming overseas:

• Nicolas Gioachinni at Montpellier face Monaco at 11a on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports.
• Timothy Chandler has suddenly started three straight matches for Eintracht Frankfurt who face Bochum at 1:30p on ESPN+.
• Konrad de la Fuente and Olympique Marseille will get a shot at PSG at 2:45p on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports. Marseille currently sit in third place, although already 10 points back of league leading PSG.

Let us know who you’re keeping an eye on this weekend in the comments section below.