Gio Reyna delighted to be back on the pitch after months of hard work in rehab

Gio Reyna has said that he is delighted to be back on the pitch for Borussia Dortmund after spending the better part of last year dealing with injuries.

Gio Reyna ended his 421 day wait for a goal in competitive football on Saturday, as he scored during Borussia Dortmund’s 5-0 win over VfB Stuttgart. Making his first start for the club in more than a month, the USMNT international showed his immense talent by delivering a performance of the highest quality down the left wing.

The relief was palpable on Gio Reyna’s face as he celebrated his goal, having endured a very difficult year dealing with a host of injury problems. The attacking midfielder’s woes began in September 2021, when he suffered a muscle injury while on international duty that sidelined him for five months. More setbacks then followed, as Reyna was limited to just 13 appearances last season.

Reyna revealed after the game that he had to toil in rehab for several months, trying to build back his match rhythm. He added that after a long road to recovery, he is delighted to be back on the pitch.

"“It felt so good; it’s been a long time coming. So much hard work took place behind the scenes which a lot of people don’t see,” Reyna said (via DW). “No summer break, 5-6 hours of rehab a day, I don’t know how many people could stick through that. You have to be really hungry and believe in yourself to get back as soon as possible. It was tough, but I’m happy to be back.”"

Borussia Dortmund have taken a very cautious approach with Reyna’s fitness this season in a bid to ensure that he does not suffer any further injury setbacks. He did suffer a minor muscle issue while on international duty last month. But he now looks to be fully fit once again. And his performance against Stuttgart will go a long way in helping him build his confidence back up ahead of next month’s FIFA World Cup.