The Philadelphia Union have the night off from MLS competition on Wednesday but they will be on the pitch at PPL Park in an international friendly against German team FC Schalke 04.
The Union, currently 2-5-1 on the MLS season, will be resting key players such as Danny Califf, Chris Albright and Zac MacMath with injuries. Instead of familiar names, the roster for Philadelphia will be filled with younger players and should expect to meet a similar squad in age from the German side which just finished its season.
Union manager Peter Nowak said about Schalke
"It's great to play against a team like Schalke, to see where we are and what we need," said Nowak, whose team is 3-0 in friendlies at PPL Park against international competition. "Discussions about structure, youth development and getting the experience needed to move soccer in the United States and find what we need for the future. It's good to chat with them and we'll have more of that." (via CSN Philly)
Schalke is one of the top German teams and will give the younger Union players plenty of things to consider on the field during tonight's friendly. For the regular starters, they'll get a rest before a crucial match against the New York Red Bulls on May 13.