After a two-year absence from the starting eleven in the UEFA Champions League, the American striker enjoyed Gio Reyna on Wednesday evening the moment to the fullest.
Reyna took the field in a starting role for Borussia Dortmund, who suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat against Barcelona in the iconic Signal Iduna Park. The 22-year-old made his first Champions League start since September 2022, an encouraging sign for his comeback.
After an injury-hit first half of the season, in which a groin injury kept him out of action since September, Reyna has worked hard to secure his place in the squad Nuri Sahin to recapture. His performance tonight was not only a sign of his recovery, but also of his growing confidence on the pitch.
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Opened in an exciting game Raphinha the goal celebration in the 52nd minute, but Serhou Guirassy equalized just ten minutes later with a well-converted penalty.
However, had Ferran Torres the final word for the Catalan giants as he scored twice in the second half, including the decisive goal five minutes before the end of normal time. Guirassy’s equalizer in the 78th minute gave Dortmund a brief glimmer of hope, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to secure a point.
Despite Reyna’s starting opportunity, his appearance was rather unremarkable; He only won one duel, made one defensive interception and completed about 75% of his passes to his teammate.
Another American talent, Cole Campbellwas listed in the matchday squad, but was not used for the black and yellow.
After this setback, Borussia Dortmund now find themselves in ninth place in the Champions League table and will look to defend themselves in the Bundesliga on Sunday Hoffenheim to fight back.
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