USMNT weekend viewing guide: Relegation battles galore

There are a slew of games involving USMNT players that you can watch this weekend. They include some matches featuring teams trying to stay out of the relegation zone. Check them out:

Friday

Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund - 2:30p on ESPN+

Borussia Dortmund saw any hopes of a league title slip away last weekend in their 4-1 loss to RB Leipzig as they have now dropped 9 points behind league leading Bayern Munich with six matches to go. It’s been a pretty typical season for BVB: good enough to cruise to a Champions League spot but never enough to really challenge Bayern, typically because of defensive lapses. Gio Reyna saw 16 minutes off the bench last weekend for Dortmund after returning from international break and seems likely to see additional minutes this weekend against relegation-threatened Stuttgart.

Pellegrino Matarazzo and Stuttgart are not out of the woods yet, as they are just one point out of the relegation zone. They have earned eight points in their last four matches, albeit against other weak sides including Augsburg and Arminia Bielefeld, who are themselves facing relegation battles. Stuttgart have kept just two clean sheets all season and are regularly putting up goals themselves, so look forward to some offensive output in this one. Dortmund won the first matchup 2-1.

Saturday

Wolfsburg v Arminia Bielefeld - 9:30a on ESPN+

Currently sitting in the relegation playoff position, tied on points with 17th place Hertha Berlin and one point back of Stuttgart and safety, George Bello and Arminia Bielefeld will face John Brooks and a Wolfsburg side that are themselves just five points out of relegation. It’s been a rough season for Bielefeld who narrowly avoided relegation last year as well. The drop has been more precipitous for Wolfsburg who entered the season as one of the Bundesliga’s Champions League representatives and now are struggling to finish above the relegation fray. This season will be John Brooks’ final run with the club, but Kevin Paredes will be with the team next year if that impacts your rooting decisions for this one.

Broadcast matches:

• Christian Pulisic and Chelsea FC look to bounce back from their midweek loss to Real Madrid in Champions League play when they face Southampton at 10a on USA Network. Chelsea also lost last weekend 4-1 to Brentford and need to avoid additional mistakes if they are going to hold of Tottenham and Arsenal FC for Champions League qualification.
• Orlando City SC and the Chicago Fire face off at 1p on Univision and Twitter. Gaga Slonina will be in next for the Fire and has an outside shot at making the 2022 World Cup roster.
• Inter Miami and DeAndre Yedlin face the New England Revolution and Matt Turner, who remains questionable due to injury. This match will kick off at 3p on ESPN.
• The latest battle for LA kicks off at 7:30p on Fox with Kellyn Acosta and LAFC taking on the LA Galaxy.

Streaming overseas:

• Ricardo Pepi and Augsburg have won four straight matches and now sit in 13th place, six points out of relegation. Things will be quite a bit tougher this weekend as they face Bayern Munich at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Julian Green, Timothy Tillman and Greuther Fürth face Joe Scally and Borussia Mönchengladbach at 9:30a on ESPN+. Fürth are all but mathematically relegated ,while ‘Gladbach currently sit in 12th place.
• Jesse Marsch and Leeds United continue their push for safety when they face Watford at 10a on Peacock. Leeds have a six point lead over Burnley for 18th (and relegation), but Burnley and Everton both have two games in hand. Watford currently trail Everton by three points.

MLS matchups (all on ESPN+):

• The New York Red Bulls and Caden Clark face Djordje Mihailovic and Montreal at 4p.
• New York City FC and DC United kick off at 5p. NYCFC has a handful of fringe and former-fringe USMNT players, while DC United has a couple younger guys to keep an eye on for the future along with goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
• The Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew start up at 6p. Gyasi Zardes received his first start of the season last weekend.
• Real Salt Lake and Bobby Wood take on Bob and Michael Bradley and Toronto FC at 8p.
• Jesús Ferreira, Paul Arriola, and FC Dallas face the Colorado Rapids at 8:30p.
• The Houston Dynamo take on the San Jose Earthquakes and Cade Cowell at 8:30p.
• Sporting Kansas City face Walker Zimmermann and Nashville SC at 8:30p.
• Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan and the Seattle Sounders take on FC Cincinnati at 10p.
• The Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers also kick off at 10p.

Sunday

Norwich City v Burnley - 9a on USA

Norwich City and Burnley kick things off Sunday morning in a relegation match that is probably one of the last chances you’ll have to catch Josh Sargent in the EPL for the next year and a half. Norwich sit bottom of the table with just 18 points and seven points out of safety with 8 matches to play, so relegation seems like a formality at this point. Perhaps this weekend’s match against Burnley will be an opportunity to see how Sargent will fare against Championship sides. Burnley are in 18th and also currently sit in the relegation zone. They are just one point back of Everton and, as was mentioned previously, they have two games in hand compared to Leeds, who they trail by five points. Burnley come into this one with quite a bit to play for, as a loss to Norwich would be devastating. This has all the makings of an ugly match. Enjoy!

Broadcast matches:

• Charlotte FC take on Miles Robinson and Atlanta United 1:30p on ABC in what is already the second match between the two clubs just six games into the season. Atlanta won the first match just a month ago.
• Austin FC take on Minnesota United at 7:30p on FS1 in the weekend finale.

Streaming Overseas:

• Matt Miazga and Deportivo Alaves take on Osasuna at 8a on ESPN+. Miazga has not made it off the bench in the last five matches for the relegation bound Alaves side.
• Eric Palmer-Brown and Troyes face Monaco at 9a on beIN Sports.
• Timothy Weah’s Lille side take on Angers at 9a on beIN Sports as well. Weah missed last weekend’s draw with Bordeaux due to a suspension from a ridiculous red card he was shown.
• Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessmann, and Venezia are three points back of safety as they go to face Udinese at 9a on Paramount+.
• Timothy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt face Freiburg at 11:30a on ESPN+.
• Tyler Adams has missed RB Leipzig’s past two matches, but has returned to the squad ahead of the matchup with Chris Richards and Hoffenheim at 1:30p on ESPN+. Leipzig have made a push back into the Champions League qualifying positions and lead Freiburg by three points and Hoffenheim by four.
• Sergiño Dest did not travel with FC Barcelona for the Europa League matchup with Eintracht Frankfurt. The club now face Levante at 3p on ESPN+.

Hit the comments and discuss these matches as they hit your TV screens this weekend!