Borussia Dortmund boss Marco Rose admits that Gio Reyna’s muscle problem is “a bit more serious than we expected”, but the hope is that the talented 18-year-old will be back in action before 2022.
An injury picked up while on international duty with the United States has kept the highly-rated midfielder stuck on the sidelines since September.
Initial reports had suggested that he would only be ruled out for around a month, but no definitive timescale is being put on his recovery as yet and the Bundesliga giants can only speculate on whether or not he will be seen again in 2021.
What has been said?
Asked for an update on Reyna ahead of a trip to RB Leipzig on Saturday, Rose told reporters: “It’s slowly getting better.
“The injury turned out to be a bit more serious than we expected.
“It is not possible for me to predict when he will be back in team training. But we hope that he will be able to play again this year.”
How many games has Reyna missed?
One of the hottest prospects in European football was laid low after representing the USMNT in a World Cup qualifying clash with El Salvador on September 3.
He has missed 12 games at club level since then, with Reyna being denied an opportunity to aid domestic and continental quests.
Dortmund have fared admirably in his absence, moving to within a point of table-topping Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga while also picking up six points from four Champions League outings.
Reyna’s return would offer them another welcome shot in the arm, as he had scored two goals through five appearances before suffering an untimely knock.
Dortmund also know that they are set to be without prolific frontman Erling Haaland for a considerable period of time, with the Norwegian striker unlikely to figure again before Christmas as he nurses a hip complaint.
Further reading
- Reyna among FIFA 22's most improved players
- Pedri, Bellingham and Reyna on Golden Boy shortlist
- Champions League 2021-22 Power Rankings