If you thought Brentford fielded a cosmopolitan team at The Valley last weekend just wait 'til you see the Reading side this Saturday...
In goal we can expect the Brazilian Rafael Cabral Barbosa who came to Berkshire this summer on a free transfer after spells at Santos, Napoli and Sampdoria. He has three caps for Brazil and, if he is unfit, he will be replaced by Jaoa Manuel Neves Virginia - a nineteen year old from Portugal on loan from Everton.
Full-back Matt Miazza is a USA national on loan from Chelsea.
Midfielder Judilson Mamadou Tuncara Gomes (known as Pele) is a Portugal born Guinea-Bissau international on loan from Monaco. He played for Nottingham Forest nine times last season and was previously on the books of Genoa and AC Milan.
Winger Lucas Boye is an Argentinian on loan from Torino. He played 26 games for River Plate in 2014 before going to Turin in 2018. He spent last season on loan at AEK Athens.
Portuguese Striker Lucas Joao signed a four year deal with The Royals this summer after four years with Sheffield Wednesday.
Romanian striker George Puscas was signed from Inter Milan in the recent transfer window for 8 million euros to become Reading's most expensive signing. He has eight full caps for Romania and four goals.
Yakou Miete is an Ivorian who joined Reading in 2016 from Paris St Germain. He has 16 goals in 55 appearances including two in the last five minutes against Plymouth in the Caraboa Cup on Tuesday.
Six foot four forward Andrija Novakovich is a USA international (three caps) who has been at Reading for four years, although he has so far only made three appearances.
Their British players include Ovie Ejaria who is an England under 21 international on loan from Liverpool; Andy Rinomhola who was born in Leeds and is in his second season at the Majedski Stadium and Andy Yiadom who is a Londoner of Ghanain heritage who was previously with Barnsley.
And in the middle of that lot is a thirty one year old centre half called Michael Brian Morrison who Charlton gave away for free back in 2015 and who joined The Royals this summer after failing to agree new terms at Birmingham.
Reading finished 20th in The Championship last year and began this season as if they were destined to struggle again - losing their opening games 1-3 at home to Sheffield Wednesday and 1-2 at Hull. When they travelled to Wycombe for a Carabao Cup tie on August 13th they gave full debuts to Barbosa, Puscas and Morrison. Puscas stopped the rot with their goal in a 1-1 draw and Barbosa then saved two penalties in the shoot-out as they went through.
It was Puscas who grabbed the headlines again by scoring a brace when Reading surprised everyone in the next game by beating Cardiff 3-0. They were unlucky not to win at WBA in the week when a late goal salvaged a point for the home side, but last Saturday they went up to Huddersfield and won 2-0 with Michael Morrison scoring the second to seal the victory. It seems that Charlton will be a meeting a team that is running into form and beginning to gell ominously.
Lee Bowyer's side can't match Reading in terms of the glamour of their previous clubs. Instead of Santos, Monaco, River Plate, Inter Milan and PSG the best we can offer is Palace, Swansea and Brighton backed up by AFC Wimbledon, Rotherham, West Ham and WBA reserves and our Academy. But pedigree isn't everything and the backs-to-the-wall spirit shown against Brentford should at least guarantee a close encounter.
A number of the Charlton team looked out on their feet at the end of the Brentford game although this was hardly surprising given the extent of their effort during three games in seven days. The international break will no doubt be very welcome, even for those going on international duty. We expect Saturday's encounter at The Majedski to be a very tough one. A draw would be a real achievement.