AMSTERDAM – The weekend ahead for Americans playing in Europe is filled with tempting match-ups, including the return to business of Tim Ream's Bolton Wanderers. All times listed in ET.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Bolton vs. Blackburn (Saturday, 11 am on Fox Soccer 2Go)
American: Tim Ream (BW) - Hearts will be heavy but also full of hope when Wanderers host Blackburn in their first match since watching teammate Fabrice Muamba collapse on the field last week.
It remains to be seen if Ream reclaims his place after sitting that fateful cup game, but Stuart Holden remains out. Until last year's home win at the Reebok, Bolton had allowed Rovers to run 10 games unbeaten at the Reebok.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham (Saturday, 8:45 am on ESPN2)
American: Brad Friedel (Spurs) - The American netminder and his teammates must cross London before trying to stop the rot. Friedel and Tottenham have but one point to show for their last four EPL games.
A loss at Stamford Bridge would cut their lead on the Blues for the fourth Champions League spot to two points. That's bad news because Spurs last won this away derby in 1990, dropping 15 of 22 there since.
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Rangers vs. Celtic (Sunday, 9 am on Fox Soccer)
Americans: Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra, Maurice Edu - All knocks and suspensions out of the way, the full trio of US internationals should play a part in the latest Old Firm Derby.
On a three-game home losing slide for the first time in nearly 11 years, Rangers have only been beaten by the Hoops once in the last seven Ibrox meetings.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Bayern Munich vs. Hannover 96 (Saturday, 10:30 am on ESPN3.com/My Sports Germany)
American: Steve Cherundolo (H96) - With FC Hollywood coming off 13 goals from their last 2 league matches, the US right back and his teammates best not be in Munich to star-gaze. Cherundolo will get a good look at Bayern left winger Franck Ribéry, the set-up man on six of those aforementioned goals.
The Reds don't generally enjoy this road trip; Hannover have won just once in 22 tries there, losing the last four by a combined 18-1 tally.
Stuttgart vs. FC Nürnberg (Sunday, 10:30 am on ESPN3.com/My Sports Germany)
American: Timothy Chandler (FCN) - The Stuttgart transfer target should start on right wing, but has recently been limited to about 70 minutes due to the hamstring nag that kept him out of USMNT camp in Italy.
The visitors will arrive on consecutive losses, but posted a big 4-1 derby win at Stuttgart last year, with Chandler notching a goal and the winning assist.
DANISH SUPERLIGA
AC Horsens vs. FC Nordsjælland (Sunday, 11 am)
American: Michael Parkhurst (FCN) - It's quite simple, isn't it? If mobile back line regular Parkhurst & Co. can win at Horsens, they'll be seven points clear in the race for Denmark's second Champions League slot with 11 games to play.
The Wild Tigers have three wins and a draw in their last five visits to face The Yellow Danger. Of course, no one has troubled Nordsjælland much lately on the road, where they have four victories from a five-game unbeaten run.
BEST OF THE REST
England:
Norwich City (Zak Whitbread) vs. Wolverhampton - Sat. 11 am on Fox Soccer 2Go
Swansea City vs. Everton (Tim Howard) - Sat. 11 am on Fox Soccer 2Go
Germany:
Freiburg vs. Kaiserslautern (Andrew Wooten) - Sat. 10:30 am on My Sports Germany
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Hoffenheim (Fabian Johnson, Daniel Williams) - Sat. 10:30 am on My Sports Germany
Schalke (Jermaine Jones) vs. Bayer Leverkusen - Sat. 1:30 pm on My Sports Germany
Italy:
Chievo (Michael Bradley) vs. Siena - Sun. 10 am
The Netherlands:
AZ Alkmaar (Jozy Altidore) vs. RKC Waalwijk - Sun. 7:30 am on Eredivisie.tv
Denmark:
Aalborg BK (Chris Rolfe) vs. SønderjyskE (Conor O'Brien) - Sat. noon
Brondby (Clarence Goodson) vs. Lyngby - Sun. 1 pm
Israel:
Ashdod SC vs. Maccabi Netanya (Leo Krupnick) - Sat. 11 am
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona (Bryan Gerzicich) vs. Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv - Sun. 1:50 pm
