The American put up some of the best minutes-per-goal numbers in European soccer, but was limited to mostly substitute appearances
To put it lightly, the last year-and-a-half or so has not been kind to Gio Reyna. It began with a slew of injury issues that derailed his progress. It continued on to a World Cup overshadowed by an unfathomable controversy that included blackmail and betrayal. And then, on Saturday, with a chance to end the season on something of a high, Borussia Dortmund totally threw away the Bundesliga title, with Reyna powerless as his side handed Bayern Munich another trophy.
One one of the lasting images from the draw with Mainz was Reyna clearly shaken after the final whistle. It’s become something of a common sight, a teary Reyna, as unfortunate as that is. For a player that is so naturally talented, nothing has gone right for quite some time.
Which leads us to the future, both immediate and long-term. Reyna will soon join up with the U.S. men’s national team most likely, giving him a chance to distance himself a bit from the disappointment in Dortmund. The German giants will then tour the U.S. this summer, where Reyna will likely be a star attraction in the club’s friendlies.
The Bundesliga season will then begin as Dortmund and Reyna will have to go again in yet another attempt to take down Bayern. And, for Reyna, 2023-24 is his most important season yet.
After several years of setbacks, missteps and disappointments, next season should be the season Reyna finally makes the leap as he begins his age 21 season. And next season should be the season that Dortmund finally unleash Reyna and let him flourish after stifling him for so long.
GettyA limited role in a big moment
Edin Terzic, several times, called on Reyna to be patient. Injuries had slowed his progress and limited his fitness, the Dortmund manager said, and, because of that, Reyna had to be willing to accept a supersub role.
Accept it he did. He thrived in it, too, coming on several times to swing games in Dortmund’s favor or lock up results with major goal contributions. It was Reyna who nearly single-handedly lifted Dortmund to their title on that last day. With his side needing three goals to win the game, and earn enough points to hold off Bayern, Reyna provided assists for both of the home side's goals.
Moments after coming on, Reyna swung the game back in Dortmund’s favor, breaking down a Mainz defense that previously looked quite unlikely to be broken down. He found Raphael Guerriero for Dortmund’s opener, bringing much-needed life into Signal Iduna Park. He assisted Dortmund’s second, too, although that one was a bit less dramatic. By the time Niklas Sule scored in stoppage time, Dortmund knew it was all but over. There would be no miracle.
But it does beg the question: where would Dortmund be if Reyna had been given a little bit more time? And where would Dortmund be if Terzic had just trusted him a bit more than he did down the stretch with the title on the line?
AdvertisementGettySupersub or super mistake?
Terzic was content to keep Reyna as a supersub, and super he was. In 22 league appearances, Reyna scored seven goals, with five coming off the bench. He also provided two assists off the bench to go with two assists in the Champions League.
Only four Dortmund players – Julian Brandt, Donyell Malen, Sebastian Haller and Jude Bellingham – scored more goals than Reyna. Haller played the fewest minutes of that quartet with 1,225, with Brandt and Malen, the two leading scorers with nine goals each, played 2,397 and 1,706 minutes, respectively.
Reyna, meanwhile, played just 625 total minutes. He averaged a goal involvement every 69 minutes. Those are astounding numbers for any player.
That’s better than Golden Boot winner Christopher Nkunku, who was the only Bundesliga player with more xG per 90 than the American star. Only Erling Haaland had a better minutes-per-goal ratio in Europe’s top five leagues.
Terzic was careful with Reyna, and, at times, he was right to be. The American does have an injury history and he was dealing with some post-World Cup disappointment. But Dortmund were clearly a better team with Reyna on the field, and their title push would have been better off with the American playing a bigger role.
Getty Images'It was in our hands'
Over the last six months or so, there have been far too many disappointed statements made on Reyna's social media accounts. The latest, obviously, came after the Mainz draw that doomed Dortmund to second place. "It was in our hands," Reyna began, "and we let something we worked so hard for, slip away."
That Dortmund did. Both Bayern and Dortmund, numerous times, tried to hand the Bundesliga title to one another, seemingly playing hot potato with the trophy all year long. In the end, it was Dortmund that were burned as they tossed an 11th consecutive title right back to Munich.
Dortmund and Reyna were, obviously, heartbroken by it all as the club fell short once again, this time in the most heartbreaking fashion yet. "Remember that setbacks are a part of life," Reyna continued, "and even though it may be tough right now, it’s important to keep pushing forward and learn from the experience. Sorry to the fans and city of Dortmund, but we can’t thank you enough for the incredible support shown throughout all the ups and downs."
Getty ImagesThe next step
Reyna and Dortmund will no doubt already be thinking about going again, about using the 2023-24 season to finally take down Bayern. They'll say that this season was a warning shot, a step forward, even it still ended a step short of where it should have ended.
For Reyna, though, next year has to be the year, the one where he takes the big leap. It'll be his fifth season with the Dortmund first team and, despite being just 21, it's time for Reyna to shred the young player label and become a star.
He's seen those around him do it, players like Haaland and Bellingham. While those two have elevated their game into a different stratosphere, Reyna has been forced to watch on, hit by injuries on the bench.
For Reyna, the time is now. Bellingham is set to leave, the latest starlet that used Dortmund as a launch pad to a life-altering, big-money deal. And, while there will be competition for attacking places, it's time for Reyna to do what his predecessors have done: become elite.
He'll be motivated to do so, no doubt, after the disappointments for club and country. And, if he looks at his numbers from this past season, he should see confidence lifted by them. He was fantastic nearly every time he was on the field.
The key for Reyna is to stay on the field, stay healthy, stay active. If he does, he can be Dortmund's next star. If he doesn't, there will be questions about his future and what comes next.