Weekend TV Guide, March 9-11: Tracking U.S. Players Major League Soccer returns to action this weekend, and one cannot help but notice that the league is approaching its 17th season with a bit of swagger. While TV ratings continue to disappoint, M.L.S. boasts a star-laden defending champion (the Los Angeles Galaxy), an ambitious new club (the Montreal Impact) and a television deal with a high-profile network that is looking to make some noise. M.L.S. Commissioner Don Garber should be proud. And American soccer fans should be thrilled. With M.L.S. ramping up, the Mexican Primera División in full swing, and drama is starting to build in the major European leagues, the next few months promise to be exciting. Here is a rundown of some televised games featuring Americans playing both overseas and at home. All times Eastern. As he has shown for both club and country, Michael Bradley's Aston Villa nightmare is now a distant memory. He is officially back, and his national team coach thinks so, too. "Michael had an outstanding game," Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said after the U.S."s 1-0 victory over Italy last month in Genoa. Half a year ago, he had a difficult situation with his club. When he told me he was going to Italy, I was really pleased. I said, "Michael, this is exactly the step that you need now is to go to Italy and learn the whole tactical side of the game. Really read the space, read the game in advance and you will learn a hell of a lot. He does that. He does indeed. And best of all, Bradley is still only 24. Catch him Friday as Chievo takes on an underperforming but still dangerous Inter (2:30 p.m., Fox Soccer, Fox Deportes, ESPN3.com). Edgar Castillo has taken his fair share of criticism on this blog. Here, for instance. And here. While past observations stand, Castillo has turned his game around for Tijuana. Audacious, marauding runs like the one below are becoming weekly occurrences for Castillo, and his resurgence is a great sign for the U.S. national team. With three young Yanks on the roster, Tijuana's match against Club América (9 p.m., Azteca América) should be high on your must-watch list. For a Stuart Holden injury update, check this out. For a Tim Ream update, check out Bolton-Queens Park Rangers (7:30 a.m., ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com). The match should be full of intrigue for fans of England's Premier League, as the 19th-place Wanderers host 16th-place Q.P.R. in a true six-pointer. American followers will be curious to see if Ream once again plays in the midfield, as he did last weekend against Manchester City, or if he pushes back to his traditional central midfield role. Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams will face a stern test as Hoffenheim plays a Bayern Munich team (9:30 a.m., ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com) that is determined to give Germany's Bundesliga front-runners Borussia Dortmund a run for their deutsche marks. Hoffenheim is undefeated in its last five games, but four of those results are ties. Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger is expected to return from injury in time for this contest, which could make like difficult for Johnson, Williams and others. Aston Villa-Fulham (10 a.m., foxsoccer2go.com; 5 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus). Clint Dempsey will be playing. Brad Guzan will be watching. So should you. Sochaux's pain is Charlie Davies's gain, it would seem. The French team is last in Ligue 1, and earlier this week fired coach Mehmed Bazdarevic. The club's struggles have opened the door for Davies, however, as the striker has made two appearances as a substitute in the last month. Will Davies get more playing time this weekend against Evian (1 p.m. ,foxsoccer2go)? We will be checking in to find out. The marquee matchup in Major League Soccer's opening weekend features the Los Angeles Galaxy against regional rival Real Salt Lake (10:30 p.m., Direct Kick, MLS Live). If the Galaxy's recent Concacaf Champions League performance is any indication, Kyle Beckerman and Real Salt Lake will have their hands full trying to keep Landon Donovan and friends - David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Edson Buddle, to name a few - off the score sheet. (Note: Direct Kick is offering a free preview this weekend. As the saying goes, check your local listings.) With Oguchi Onyewu and Omar Gonzalez rehabilitating significant injuries, Ream possibly shifting to midfield for Bolton and a slew of World Cup qualifiers on the horizon, might 2012 be the year that Zak Whitbread finally makes his national team debut? It is entirely feasible. But the first order of business for the 28-year-old central defender is to simply stay healthy. With any luck he will not hobble off against Wigan (12 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus) this weekend, giving him a chance to work his way onto Klinsmann's short list. Some folks will be tuning in to the Dallas-Red Bulls match (3 p.m., NBC Sports Network) so they can watch their favorite team kick off the 2012 season. Others will be focusing on the performances of players such as Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo (if he is allowed to leave the bench) or Thierry Henry. But many die-hard fans will be watching so they can dissect the debut soccer telecast of NBC Sports Network, which is scheduled to show 41 regular-season M.L.S. games this year. The telecast will feature play-by-play announcer Arlo White and commentator Kyle Martino, who will be positioned between the benches down on the field. It should be interesting to see what Martino, a former U.S. national team midfielder, does in this sideline role. Is it a cheap gimmick? Or will Martino be able to bring some fresh insight to new fans without alienating hardcore followers? Which games will you be watching this weekend? Excited about the return of M.L.S.? Share your thoughts in the comments.