11 matches into Gio Reyna’s season-long loan spell with Borussia Moenchengladbach has started to bring out the best in the attacking midfielder once again.
Reyna may still be seeking his first goal and assist for the Bundesliga club, but it hasn’t stopped Eugen Polanski’s belief in the young attacker. Polanski has rewarded Reyna with three-consecutive starts in recent weeks, a major improvement to the 23-year-old’s previous role as a substitute off of the bench.
Despite Reyna having a short fitness issue prior to his club debut, the U.S. men’s national team midfielder has started racking up the playing time, something that he desperately needed this fall.
Polanski has continued to trust Reyna during Gladbach’s shift up the league table, praising his growth and willingness to improve on the field.
“We wanted to gradually integrate him more and generate more playing time,” Polanski said in an interview with Bundesliga.com “For that to happen, it was crucial that Gio embraced it the way he did. I have rarely seen a training session from him that I wasn’t satisfied with, and I have recently seen values I hadn’t seen before.
“We can almost replace him [Florian Neuhaus] like-for-like,” Polanski added. “He [Reyna] perhaps has a slightly more attacking profile, is a bit better in the space between the lines, and isn’t the same clear playmaker as Flo. He’s made extremely good runs and improved from game to game. I’m extremely happy.”
Reyna has totaled 308 minutes of playing time this Bundesliga season, while also featuring twice for the USMNT during the November window. He won’t be able to add to that total though on Friday when Gladbach visits Reyna’s parent club, Borussia Dortmund, in Friday’s latest league encounter.
However, Reyna should play a key role for the club once they resume their Bundesliga schedule on January 11 after a two-week winter break.
Watching his games…two things come to mind:
1) Man, is he something else with his on field demeanor. For a guy new to the team, who has barely been a soccer player for three years, he acts like he’s a hardened veteran with years of service to the club. He still is directing play from where ever he is on the pitch and his frustration when things don’t go off is over the top.
2) He seems to see the game so much faster than most players (which causes number 1). But two things have prevented him from really affecting the team. Both are things that can come with time. He’s simply rusty. The other one is that his teammates don’t know what he is capable of yet. You can see it when he play a great pass that catches his teammate flat footed. They just don’t expect that anyone would be able to play the pass or they don’t have that ability to imagine the pass coming to them. They need to be ready all the time.
I look forward to watching him each week (only the McKennie show is more must-see TV – dude has no position…so fun to see him run the enitre field and end up with most distance traveled week in week out). The rust will start falling off and his team will start to understand how to play with him. Together with Kleindienst (former SCF player) coming back Gladbach will be going nowhere but up. Gio just needs to stay healthy and hope his off field self endears him enough to his team that his onfield behavior doesn’t sour the whole thing. Of course this just all my opinion, man.
Betinho,
“For a guy new to the team, who has barely been a soccer player for three years, he acts like he’s a hardened veteran with years of service to the club. “
He kind of is. He’s more experienced than you may be giving him credit for.
During his time with BVB, among others, he’s earned the respect of Erling Haaland ( who referred to him as the American Dream) and Jude Bellingham. That’s two guys whose opinion of a teammate’s skill is worth paying attention to. They don’t strike me as guys who blow smoke up people’s asses when it comes to that.
I think we can all agree that Gio’s misfortunes can largely be traced back to injury and physical woes; and there’s often little that a player can do about that.
Pochettino was willing to flex a little to give Gio a shot; most likely because he could see the potential reward there. I think we can agree that Pochettino is at least as good a talent evaluator as the average SBI poster.
As for how Gio reacts to his teammates haplessness, it’s worth remembering that BMG are a for-shit-team that suck. Most of his teammates won’t be around that long. Gio’s displays of disgust at his teammates obdurate behavior and lack of “je ne sais quoi,” would barely register on the arrogance meter of most top euro teams.
If you want a local reference, I remember how Gio and CP were disgusted by Seba Lletget’s alleged talent and would not pass him the ball. At the level we’re talking about if you suck you’re taking money out of your teammate’s pockets. No one likes you.
BMG understand Gio’s potential. It’s like they lucked out buying a storage unit cheap for pennies on the dollar at some estate sale and found Gio inside. He’s damaged goods but they know what he would be worth if he can get back to near his best. Go read what his manager said about him.
It’s a big if but if he can come back to his best he’s going to be one of the players they build around.
At that level the game is not for wussies who are easily offended by mean looks.
Vacqui –
“During his time with BVB, among others, he’s earned the respect of Erling Haaland ( who referred to him as the American Dream) and Jude Bellingham. That’s two guys whose opinion of a teammate’s skill is worth paying attention to. They don’t strike me as guys who blow smoke up people’s asses when it comes to that.”
His buddy’s opinions mean nothing. His coaches’ opinions are the only thing that matters.
“it’s worth remembering that BMG are a for-shit-team that suck.
In half a sentence you show how little you know about the Bundesliga.
Serious question: did you even read my whole post stop at the part that triggered you?
Betinho
“His buddy’s opinions mean nothing.”
That’s true when it cmes to playing time. But those guys are not going to lie about Gio’s talent. And I’m guessing his BMG teammates, no matter how much they may hate his guts, can see the talent too.
“His coaches’ opinions are the only thing that matters.”
You contradict yourself. I don’t know if you noticed but his playing time is trending upwards and his manager, if he isn’t flat out lying, is said he was very pleased with him. In which, case he is going to get a chance to show his BMG teammates why they should want him playing. Guys like Gio can make your job a lot easier
“it’s worth remembering that BMG are a for-shit-team that suck.
“In half a sentence you show how little you know about the Bundesliga.”
Really? I know that BMG’s last 5 seasons they finished 14th, 10th, 10th,8th and 4th. They last played in the Champions League in 2020-2I.
What are their chacnes of getting back into Europe? Hard to say.
I’ve followed them since the days of Gunter Netzer and I can tell you that the mid table, occasionally flirting with relegation side they are putting out these days are for shit in terms of where they “should ” be given their legendary history and impact on the Bundesliga. If Gio works out and can stay healthy, he’s much more in line with the kind of player BMG hopes to tbe putting out there than those guys you are so worried about Gio pissing off because he expects “too much” from them.
“Serious question: did you even read my whole post stop at the part that triggered you?”
I always read the entire post. You set the tone with the negativity about Gio’s “onfield behavior”. This intial negativity feeds into the Gio haters conspiracy theories about the Reyna’s arrogance in general being their and Gio’s undoing. Later on you are much more positive about Gio’s circumstances but it’s too late by then. On SBI, it’s like golf, Gio has a handicap when it comes to people being positive about him. Your post is basically negative about Gio in tone. People don’t take time to add up your positive remarks and compare them to your negative remarks.
It’s not math.
It’s tone. It’s about how your writing makes people feel about Gio and I would say your take, intentionally or not, would make a casual reader view him negatively.
But that’s just my take.
So yeah, I read your post.
Right now what matters most to Gio re BMG is that he stay healthy , play regularly and build up his game sharpness. If he can get to the World Cup and put on a show, it could broaden his career options at a good time in his career. Whether those options include BMG remains to be seen.
The idea that he is going to get in trouble because, onfield, he is harsh on his teammates failure to live up to the standard is just nonsense. Pros have only one question about a guy like Gio.
Can he help BMG win?
If he can do that, being the arrogant dick many here seem to think he is is no big deal. They will forgive him. I’ll bet his manager applauds his demanding nature and I’m guessing Pochettino would too.
Really poor reporting. He isn’t on loan. He can play against Dortmund.
We’ll know this Friday, whether or not the “kid” is up to playing this summer at the World Cup Dortmonf v Gladbach Friday 230est
Yeah Reyna isnt on loan. I made that mistake too. He was sold to Gladbach.
He signed with them in August, through 2028. He’s no longer a Dortmund player.
Wasn’t Gio’s move to Gladbach a sale rather than a loan?
per sbisoccer.com dated as of august 23, 2025: “Reyna has officially joined Borussia Moenchengladbach in a permanent deal from Dortmund, both clubs announced Saturday. The American midfielder signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Gladbach until June 2028.”
People still hoping against hope this guy turns into something useful
He was objectively useful to the USMNT last window….so the hope lives