Gio Reyna makes an emphatic return for Borussia Dortmund

Giovanni Reyna had a performance to remember against FC Copenhagen in Borussia Dortmund’s first Champions League game of the season.

He is well and truly back. Borussia Dortmund’s Tuesday night victory over FC Copenhagen was punctuated by the emphatic return of the so-called ‘American Dream.’ On a night that saw Edin Terzic’s side hold yet another clean sheet, the re-emergence of Gio Reyna on the biggest European stage could rightfully be considered the biggest talking point.

There were a number of quality performances to point to in the aftermath of Dortmund’s stellar opening-round win. Indeed, supporters will be thrilled by the third consecutive clean sheet and the fifth of the season across all competitions. Notable performances can be found in the likes of Niklas Sule and the ever-reliable Nico Schlotterbeck. A sense of stability and an imposing physical presence exuding from the evolving partnership in the center of the defense.

The stock of Jude Bellingham continues to seemingly rise with every passing week, and a fantastic midfield display, capped off by a mercurial counter-attacking goal, will only serve to propel him that much closer toward a more prominent role in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar. Julian Brandt, who has received due criticism for recent performances, seems to have found his footing and has put together solid outings against both Hoffenheim and Copenhagen.

There is no doubt that these displays provide intrinsic value and cause for optimism going forward. However, Dortmund’s perception of reasonable optimism might have just been reimagined after a glowing performance from the injury-laden Reyna. The cause for excitement isn’t derived from a revelation in terms of what the American can be. Rather, his opportunistic game time under the lights of the Signal Iduna Park provided supporters with a reminder of what he is – A game changer.

The significance of Gio Reyna’s return from the sidelines has only been magnified that much further in light of the other-worldly injury crisis that the club currently finds itself in. A summer that featured new signings across every area of the pitch should be considered a success in regard to Sebastian Kehl’s inaugural showing in the role of Sporting Director. And yet, as Dortmund embarks on a colossal 4-week test of squad depth against the likes of Leipzig, Manchester City, Schalke, and Bayern Munich, it is arguably the timely return of the playmaking midfielder that will instill the most profound sense of confidence within the club at this moment.

Reyna has returned to form for a team that, despite being tied for points atop the Bundesliga table with Freiburg, has struggled to score goals in the early stages of this season. The absence of Sebastian Haller due to illness and injuries to Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen certainly have played a role in the aforementioned scoring struggles. But the supply for the forward line from Reus and the tireless Bellingham alone will not be enough to successfully navigate the impending combination of domestic and European challenges.

In Reyna, the club has an established young star that embodies everything that Terzic wants. His two assists against Copenhagen embodied everything that he’s about – a relentlessly selfless motor that seeks to carve open a crowded back line with what is a consistently elite first touch and eye for a pass. These redeeming qualities outweigh his unfortunate injury struggles. It makes tactical and philosophical sense for USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter to retain a conservative media approach to his expectations for Gio as the World Cup approaches.

Yet, behind closed doors, you’d have a hard time imagining a scenario where he wasn’t grinning from ear to ear just as much as those in the Yellow Wall last night. His relevance to the success of both club and country over the coming months simply cannot be overstated. For their sake, and the neutrals in Germany who wish to finally see a title race, let’s hope that he can remain fit and put an injury-riddled 2021-22 behind him.