Americans Abroad: John Brooks and Hertha face massive Bayern test

John Brooks has been playing well. His team has not. 

While Brooks has put in some great showings, particularly against Borussia Dortmund in a cup loss, Hertha has lost four of its last five, been bounced from the cup on penalties, and fallen all the way down to sixth in the Bundesliga. 

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Next up? The toughest home match of the year, with Bayern Munich visiting Berlin off the back of mauling Arsenal in the Champions League. 

While the task of dealing with Bayern's attack obviously doesn't fall completely on Brooks' shoulders, he'll likely catch a good deal of the responsibilty of slowing down the ever-dangerous Robert Lewandowski, and that's never an easy job. 

Against Dortmund Brooks did very well to contain the Bundesliga's top scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Lewandowski will be a very different challenge.

A point for Hertha would be a fine result in Saturday's fixture, but the club needs to start picking wins again if it wants to stay in the European qualification race. 

Christian Pulisic's Dortmund is one of the clubs to have jumped Hertha in the Bundesliga table since the start of 2017. The team has taken just one loss -- a 1-0 reverse midweek against Benfica in the Champions League -- since the turn of the year and currently sits fourth in the league table. 

The win over Hertha kept the side in the DFB Pokal, and with the home leg against Benfica still on tap, Dortmund is still competing on three fronts. The squad depth will be tested over the next couple of week, but Pulisic should get plenty of playing time. Dortmund takes on Wolfsburg on Saturday. 

Fabian Johnson and Borussia Monchengladbach have a big Bundesliga match on tap this weekend as well, with the club looking to respond to a Europa League loss midweek with a good showing against RB Leipzig on Sunday. 

It seems like every week in the Bundesliga there's a showdown between American players. This week, Alfredo Morales and Ingolstadt are on the road against Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday morning. A win for Morales and company would be a huge boost in the relegation fight. The job against one of the top three teams in the league will certianly not be easy, especially when that club is at home and looking to rebound from a 3-0 loss last time out. 

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Outside of Germany, Emerson Hyndman and Rangers are back in action Saturday against Dundee United. A win could see the club pull level on points with second-place Aberdeen. 

Club Tijuana is is also looking to get back to the top of Liga MX. Paul Arriola and Joe Corona both started in the loss to Nexaxa last week, but a win on the road against Pumas could have the side back to the top of the table if Toluca slips up on the road against Monarcas.