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Welcome to another week of Big D Soccer’s coverage of your favorite players with ties to FC Dallas, the FCD Academy, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Fabian Castillo suffers an injury, Emerson Hyndman might finally move elsewhere, and Central American teams start their Clausura.
With the funny season well past it’s midway point and nearing its conclusion, we’re full of rumors for this week. Oh yeah, there’s some action to report on as well.
Europe
Weston McKennie (AP - Schalke 04/Bundesliga): Weston suited up Saturday, but did not play in a 3-1 loss at RB Leipzig.
The loss drops Schalke 04 to 3rd place in the Bundesliga Table, 1 point behind RB Leipzig.
Next Match: Schalke 04 vs. Hannover 96, Sunday, January 21, 11:00am
Shaft Brewer Jr. (AP - RB Leipzig U19): No match scheduled.
Next Match: Wolfsburg U19 vs. RB Leipzig U19, Saturday, January 27, 4:00am
Keaton Parks (DFW - Benfica/Primeira Liga): Keaton parks was back starting with the second team on Saturday:
Keaton Parks was back with Benfica B on Saturday in a 3-2 win over Oliveirense. Parks helped create the first goal with a Bradley-esque diagonal ball, good run, and clipped pass into the box. pic.twitter.com/bNirGKHX8m
— Scuffed (@zlebmada) January 15, 2018
Keaton played the full match. Some fans have worried that Keaton was back to playing with Benfica B, and his time with the first team was over. Those worries have been dispelled, as reports out of Portugal, indicate that Benfica will shorten their senior roster down to 21 players (not including GK) for the stretch run. Keaton Parks is listed as one of those 21 players. Sure enough, Keaton was back training with the first team.
Next Match: Benfica vs. Chavez, Saturday, January 20, 12:15pm
Emerson Hyndman (DFW - AFC Bournemouth): Emerson suited up Thursday in FA Cup action against Wigan Athletic. Emerson came on in the 78th minute, with the match already out of hand, as Wigan Athletic advanced to the 5th round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 victory.
The news that every Hyndman fan has been praying for all season, finally may come to pass. Rumors of Hyndman leaving Bournemouth this transfer window, have ratcheted up:
Emerson Hyndman has interest in a move to MLS. Several MLS clubs have checked in with him about a possible move. This is one to watch.
— Kristian Dyer (@KristianRDyer) January 19, 2018
Next Match: your guess is as good as mine
Fabian Castillo (FCD - Trabzonspor/Super Lig): Fabian suited up last Thursday (1/16/18), in Turkish Cup action against visiting Konyaspor. Fabian came on in the 65th minute, with Trabzonspor trailing 1-0. Trabzonspor would go on to earn a 1-1 draw. Trabzonspor is eliminated from the Turkish cup by an aggregate score of 2-1.
Rumors began to spring up, suggesting a transfer for Castillo was in the cards. Valencia is rumored to have bid 6 to 7 million for his services, and even FC Dallas had expressed an interest in bringing Castillo back for the right price. None of that will likely happen now:
#Trabzonspor'da, Kolombiyalı orta saha oyuncusu Fabian Castillo'nun sakatlığı sebebiyle 3 hafta sahalardan uzak kalacağı belirtildi. https://t.co/dLF0VZ2t4q pic.twitter.com/AJjHC7tfxN
— Spor Haberleri (@SonDakikaSpor_X) January 19, 2018
Castillo appears to have suffered a minor knee sprain during team practice, and will miss the next 3 weeks. While this won’t necessarily kill off Castillo’s chances to be transfered, it certainly should diminish that possibility.
Next Match: Out for 3 weeks.
Mexico - Apertura Torneo
Rogelio Funes Mori (DFW - Monterrey/Liga MX): Rogelio started Sunday at Veracruz. Rogelio played the full match, in a 2-0 victory for Los Rayados.
Rogelio did not suit up Wednesday, as Monterrey defeated Dorados 2-1, in Copa MX action.
Next Match: Monterrey vs. Tijuana, Saturday, January 20, 7:00pm
Alejandro Zendejas (FCD/AP - Atletico Zacatepec/Ascenso MX): Alex did not suit up Tuesday, as Atletico Zacatepec lost 5-0 at Necaxa, in Copa MX action.
Next Match: Atletico Zacatepec vs. Cimarrones de Sonora, Saturday, January 20, 5:00pm
Omar Gonzalez (DFW - Pachuca/Liga MX): Omar did not suit up, in Tuesday’s Copa MX 1-0 loss to Atletico San Luis.
Next Match: Pachuca vs. Lobos BUAP, Saturday, January 20, 7:06pm
Atiba Harris (FCD - Murcielagos FC/Ascenso MX): Attiba did not suit up in last Friday’s 3-1 loss at Venados.
Next Match: Cafetaleros de Tapachula vs. Murcielagos, Saturday, January 20, 7:00pm
Central America & South America
Nicholas Hagen (AP - Municipal/Guatemala), Blas Perez (FCD - Municipal/Guatemala): Both Nick and Blas started last Friday, in a 1-0 win at Deportivo Petapa
Next Match: Municipal vs. Comunicaciones, Sunday, January 21, 11:00am
Moises Hernandez (FCD/AP - Comunicaciones/Guatemala): .Moises suited up, but did not play in last Saturday’s 2-0 loss against visiting Antigua GFC.
Next Match: Municipal vs. Comunicaciones, Sunday, January 21, 11:00am
Anibal Chala (FCD - LDU Quito, Loan/Ecuador): Anibal is still in Ecuador, and has actually participated in a couple of preseason friendlies. While Chala and LDUQ have verified Chala returning to Quito for the 2018, there is still no official report from FC Dallas, detailing the nature of the transfer (Sale or Loan?).